Nancy Pelosi

2022 - 7 - 27

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

US military makes plans for Nancy Pelosi's potential Taiwan visit (The Guardian)

House speaker's trip hasn't been confirmed but US military will increase movement in the Indo-Pacific if she goes to Taiwan.

It could be some sort of missile test, and, again, when you’re doing those types of things, you know, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong.” But Joe Biden last week raised concerns, telling reporters the military thinks her trip is “not a good idea right now”. The US has substantial forces spread across the region. China considers self-ruling Taiwan its own territory and has raised the prospect of annexation by force. The trip is being considered at a time when China has escalated what the US and allies describe as risky one-on-one confrontations with other militaries. Asked about military steps to protect Pelosi, Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said discussion of any specific travel was premature.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Atlantic"

What Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan Trip Says About China (The Atlantic)

The rancor over the House speaker's potential visit reveals how badly Xi Jinping needs a new strategy.

China has “become more assertive and more willing to challenge international rules and norms,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned, adding that “we must respond to the actions we see.” India, long wary of allying with Washington, is becoming more engaged in the Quad, a security partnership with Australia, Japan, and the United States that is developing into an anti-China coalition. If the country took a more practical approach to Taiwan that realistically accounted for the island’s growing political and economic importance, it could ease fears both in Taiwan and around the region. The thought of unification with China holds little appeal in Taiwan, while its people grow more sympathetic to the idea of declaring formal independence—a step Beijing would find intolerable. Much attention has been paid to Finland and Sweden joining NATO in the months since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but what was widely noticed in Asia was that the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand attended a NATO summit last month. In response, the U.S. and its allies continue to risk Beijing’s ire to show support for Taiwan. Japan, for instance, allowed Taiwan’s vice president to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month (officially as a private citizen). In one recent survey in Taiwan, a mere 8 percent of respondents had a positive view of the mainland government. Tsai has personally deemed Xi’s calls for unification “ impossible” and has launched programs to reduce Taiwan’s economic reliance on China while seeking closer ties to America. In a sense, she is just following the will of her citizens. Other countries that show support for Taiwan are met with rabid hostility: After Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in its capital in 2021, Beijing blocked imports from the Baltic country. Imagine, for a moment, that Nancy Pelosi, en route to Taiwan, is confronted by Chinese fighter jets in the skies near the island. To them, Taiwan is an integral part of China. Though Beijing professes to favor “peaceful reunification,” as the Communists call it, the threat that war could break out has persistently loomed over East Asia. In May, when asked at a press conference if the U.S. would defend Taiwan from Chinese attack, Biden blurted out “yes,” apparently deviating from Washington’s standard policy of keeping America’s military commitment ambiguous. But most of all, the rancor reveals how badly Beijing needs a new strategy for Taiwan—and an entirely new foreign policy.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "CNA"

China says US will 'bear all consequences' if Pelosi visits Taiwan (CNA)

BEIJING: China warned on Wednesday (Jul 27) that Washington would "bear the consequences" if US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan, with tensions ...

Advertisement Advertisement

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

Taiwan hones invasion response amid China's threats over Pelosi trip (The Washington Post)

The military exercises, which drew on experience of the war in Ukraine, come as concern grows that the tensions in the strait could spiral into crisis.

“If [China] takes drastic action, won’t it cause more countries around the world to be concerned about the situation in the Taiwan Strait?” she said. Dressed in a military uniform, Taiwan’s president boarded a destroyer during the drills for only the second time since she took office. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to seize the self-governing island of 23 million if Taipei formally declares independence. Piercing air raid sirens began the Wanan air defense drills in Taipei on Monday afternoon, bringing the city to a halt as police urged pedestrians indoors and vehicles off the roads. The imitation enemy assault was met with helicopters, tanks and fighter jets, while army reservists manned a network of sandbag-lined trenches. F-16 fighter jets passed above as guided-missile destroyers fired booming cannons.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Bloomberg"

Pelosi Looking to Visit Japan in Early August, Kyodo Says (Bloomberg)

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to visit Japan early next month, Kyodo News reported Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources it didn't name, ...

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Newsweek"

U.S. Military Preparing for Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan Visit—Report (Newsweek)

To prepare for any contingency, U.S. forces in the region would be shifted to protect Pelosi's flight with fighter aircraft, naval ships and surveillance ...

While some of the more dramatic outcomes are unlikely to occur, the risk of an unintended military accident are real. To be sure, predictions about the dangers of Pelosi's visit have been speculative. Fresh warnings out of Beijing are unlikely to deter Taipei from seeking closer ties with the United States—its strongest international backer in the postwar era—but its Foreign Ministry told Newsweek it hadn't received details about Pelosi's plans and therefore wouldn't comment further on the subject. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) celebrates its 95th anniversary on August 1, in a month when Chinese Communist Party leaders hold their annual closed-door gathering at the Beidaihe resort in Hebei province. U.S. commentators have also latched onto threats made by China's nationalistic firebrand Hu Xijin, who last week tweeted that the PLA could escort Pelosi's plane over Taiwan, essentially one-upping the historic symbolism of her trip. However, they raised the possibility of further military pressure on Taiwan, including incursions of Chinese warplanes into or near Taiwanese airspace—a move that may force Taipei to respond.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Bloomberg"

Pelosi Taiwan Trip in Limbo as Officials Plan East Asia Stops (Bloomberg)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Asia in early August is set to include stops in Japan, Indonesia and Singapore, but a potential Taiwan visit that has ...

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Global Voices Kenya"

Will US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit Taiwan, despite China's ... (Global Voices Kenya)

The US House and Taiwan support the visit. China threatened "forceful measures" if Pelosi proceeds and the US military said "it's not a good idea.

But I don’t know what the status of it is.” He said,“Well, I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now. If she really dares to visit Taiwan, it will be a major serious incident. Since Tsai Ing-wen, the then-candidate of the pro-Taiwan independent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won the presidential election in 2015, the cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan have intensified. In 1971, the ROC’s seat in the United Nations was replaced by the PRC, and Taiwan became a de facto autonomous state without official diplomatic recognition under the “ One China Principle.” Hu Xijin, a prominent nationalist commentator from the state-run Global Times suggested the trip might trigger military action: Nancy Pelosi's trip may further challenge his authority as a nationalistic leader. She will also bear historical responsibility for possibly triggering a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait.pic.twitter.com/pNXIRvtX0W Yet, many Taiwanese do not take Beijing’s threat seriously as they have lived under Beijing threats for years. When meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Nicola Beer stressed, “Only the Taiwanese people can decide on Taiwanese future.” Compared to Beer, Pelosi’s move is more high-level and symbolic. China would have to react or lose credibility.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Business Insider"

Pentagon could send fighter jets to protect Pelosi in Taiwan: AP (Business Insider)

China threatened to involve its military if Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan next month. China opposes any recognition of Taiwan as its own country.

Pelosi was supposed to travel to Taiwan in April but did not end up going because she tested positive for the coronavirus. China has vocally opposed any recognition of Taiwan as its own country. The officials said the plans likely involve sending fighter jets, ships, and surveillance assets to protect her on her flights to and out of Taiwan as well as on the ground.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Hong Kong Free Press"

China says Washington will 'bear all consequences' if US House ... (Hong Kong Free Press)

A possible visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has stirred alarm in President Joe Biden's administration. Last week Biden said the US military ...

“If the US pushes ahead and challenges China’s bottom line… Pelosi told reporters last week it was “important for us to show support for Taiwan,” while denying Congress was pushing for independence for the island. Beijing this week warned that it was “getting ready” for a possible visit by Pelosi, which would be the first to Taiwan by a sitting US House speaker since 1997.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Hill"

Pelosi inviting members of Congress for Taiwan trip (The Hill)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has extended an invitation to members of Congress to join her on a planned trip to Taiwan, according to a House aide.

House We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter. “He also believes the Speaker or any other American official should be able to visit Taiwan if they would like to,” Shedd said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "New York Post"

Pentagon readies backup plans for Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip as ... (New York Post)

The US military has begun developing contingency plans for any incident that may occur if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi follows through with her reported plan ...

“Speaker Pelosi should go to Taiwan and President Biden should make it abundantly clear to Chairman Xi [Jinping] that there’s not a damn thing the Chinese Communist Party can do about it,” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said in a statement Monday. “No more feebleness and self-deterrence. Fighter jets, ships, surveillance assets and other military systems would likely be used to create buffer zones securing Pelosi’s flight to the island nation. While US officials have expressed doubt that China would take direct action against Pelosi if she visited Taiwan, there have been growing concerns Beijing would launch military action against the island – which China has long claimed is a part of its territory. Security on the ground would also be bolstered to prevent any incidents while the speaker is in the country. “If the US side is bent on going its own way, China will take strong measures to resolutely respond and counteract,” Zhao said, adding: “The United States should be held responsible for any serious consequences.” Pentagon spokesman Martin Meiners declined to comment on the reported plans, telling The Post, “It wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on any congressional travel possibilities.”

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Grid News"

Nancy Pelosi has plans to visit Taiwan; Joe Biden and Xi Jinping ... (Grid News)

When President Joe Biden holds a rare virtual meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping Thursday, the one sure item on the agenda is the ever-controversial ...

They could try and prevent her from landing or force her to land on the mainland instead of in Taiwan, or just simply try to escort her aircraft showing that they have sovereignty over the airspace. “And Taiwan is being dragged into that in ways that could ultimately be extremely harmful to Taiwan’s security.” Whether it would escalate to a broader military crisis remains to be seen, but it would certainly cause a political crisis.” The trip made Azar the highest-ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit Taiwan since the U.S. rapprochement with mainland China in 1979. Antipathy toward China and support for China are rare examples of bipartisan consensus in Washington, and Democrats have been eager not to be labeled as soft on China heading into the midterm elections. When Gingrich visited Taipei in 1997, he stopped in Beijing on the way and heard the concerns of the Chinese leadership. Ever since, China has claimed that Taiwan is a breakaway province and vowed to reunite with Taiwan in order to achieve “national rejuvenation.” Chinese leaders have left open the option to use military might to ensure that reunion happens. But the timing of her potential trip also raises the stakes. All three times, administration officials have reaffirmed that the policy of “strategic ambiguity” still holds, but Biden’s remarks certainly haven’t reassured Beijing. At the same time, the U.S. has been more visibly supportive of Taiwan. President Donald Trump broke with tradition by calling President Tsai Ing-wen when he took office in 2016, and his administration continued to take a stronger stance on Taiwan, which Biden has largely adopted. We spoke to experts on the Taiwan issue and the U.S.-China relationship, aiming to answer the core questions surrounding Pelosi’s plans. Under Xi, China’s foreign policy has become more aggressive and the country has built a formidable military.

China has warned of taking 'strong measures' should Nancy Pelosi ... (NPR)

China is warning it will respond with "strong measures" if U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi travels to Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its territory.

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Financial Times"

Nancy Pelosi's visit lends urgency to Taiwan war games (Financial Times)

Taiwan's armed forces are practising fighting off a Chinese invasion in live-fire drills this week that have taken on unprecedented relevance after Beijing ...

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

Why is Pelosi's possible Taiwan trip fuelling US-China tensions? (Aljazeera.com)

Beijing has warned of 'strong' response as White House reportedly seeks to discourage trip by the powerful legislator.

For their part, Taiwanese officials have not publicly addressed the possibility of Pelosi’s visit, although President Tsai Ing-wen has historically ignored protestations from Beijing to host foreign dignitaries. That makes the prospect of extreme action towards Taiwan to boost his nationalist credentials more appealing, analysts have said. China is still deciding what to do, so they keep harsher words in reserve for now. It has increasingly built up its military posture and increased manoeuvres in the area. Or … China is trying [not too successfully] to make it less costly for Pelosi and US to back down.” On Thursday, Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping were set to hold their fifth call amid the heightened tensions.

Explore the last week