Taipei [Taiwan], August 3 (ANI): US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan came to an end on Wednesday as she departed from the self-ruled island after a short and gripping trip which raised tensions in the Taiwan Strait. “Our delegation had the distinct privilege of meeting with the President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen today. We discussed how America and Taiwan can deepen our economic ties, further strengthen our security partnership and defend our shared democratic values,” Pelosi said in a tweet.
The US House Speaker, the highest-level US official to visit Taiwan in over twenty years, reaffirmed America’s commitment to the people of Taiwan for decades to come. “It was also my high honor to receive from President @iingwen of Taiwan the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon: a symbol of our treasured friendship. Make no mistake: America remains unwavering in our commitment to the people of Taiwan- now and for decades to come,” she added.
The US Congressional delegation landed in Taiwan on Tuesday night. The US House Speaker Pelosi has since held several discussions with top leadership in Taiwan including President Tsai Ing-wen. “There is a struggle between democracy and autocracy in the world. We cannot back away from that. As China uses its soft power in order to gain support, we’ve to talk about Taiwan in terms of its technological advancement and show people Taiwan’s courage to become more democratic,” Pelosi said in a response to a question about how an invasion can be avoided.
Responding to the aggressive response from China over her visit, Pelosi said that the demonstration of democracy offered a strong contrast to what’s happening in the country. She also said, “No more evidence is needed on what happened in Hong Kong, one country two systems didn’t happen. We don’t want anything to happen to Taiwan by force.”
During talks with Taiwanese leadership, Pelosi reiterated Washington’s support for the island country and said that the US’ determination to preserve Taiwan’s sovereignty is “iron-clad”. “America has made a bedrock promise to always stand with Taiwan. On this strong foundation, we have a thriving partnership grounded in self-government and self-determination focused on mutual security in the region and the world committed to economic prosperity,” she said.
On Tuesday night, Pelosi had expressed US solidarity with 23 million people of Taiwan in the face of the increasing threat from China. She reaffirmed her country’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s democracy and said this trip in no way contradicts long-standing United States policy on the self-governed island. “Our Congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan honours America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy,” Pelosi said in a statement.
China firmly opposed the US House Speaker’s Taiwan visit terming the trip a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the joint communique signed between the two countries.
It has also announced live firing as part of its military operations near Taiwan in response to Pelosi’s visit. (ANI)
Pelosi in Taiwan heightens US-China tensions, Bejing infuriated
By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington [US], August 3 (ANI): US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s statement after meeting with leaders in Taiwan on Wednesday about the US not abandoning its commitment to the self-governing island has infuriated China.
“Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” Pelosi said in a speech after meeting with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen. “America’s determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad,” Pelosi added.
China which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments, announced multiple military exercises around the island, issued a series of harsh statements and even summoned the US ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, to protest against Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng, described the nature of Nancy Pelosi’s visit as “vicious”, vowing swift and severe consequences. As Pelosi’s plane touched down in Taipei on Tuesday, Chinese state media reported that its military jets were crossing the Taiwan strait. Taiwan denied those reports at that time, but later said, that more than 20 Chinese military planes had entered its air defence zone on Tuesday
In retaliation, China’s customs department announced a suspension of imports of citrus fruits, chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel from Taiwan, while its commerce ministry banned the export of natural sand to Taiwan.
Pelosi’s trip has heightened US-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress because of her high-level position as leader of the House of Representatives. She is the first speaker of the house to come to Taiwan in 25 years since Newt Gingrich in 1997.
Meanwhile in Washington, US national security spokesperson John Kirby said there was “no reason for this visit to become a spurring event for a crisis or conflict”. “China appears to be positioning itself to potentially take further steps in the coming days and perhaps over longer time horizons,” Kirby told reporters Tuesday.
He warned provocations could include firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan and large-scale breaches of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone by warplanes. He said that China might also make public assertions similar to those it made recently to the effect that the Taiwan Strait is not an international waterway.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that China “should think very carefully” about escalating the situation and warned the US would do whatever was necessary to protect its interests. Supporters of the visit unusually included many Republican lawmakers said, it’s critical for the Speaker to show support for Taiwan and to underscore Washington is serious about its legal commitment to offer the island the means of its self-defence.
Some analysts say such a shift could not only risk dragging the United States into a war in the Pacific against China that Americans are not prepared for, but that it could also make Beijing even more aggressive. Pelosi’s said her visit is also about human rights and what she called dangerous technology transfers to “rogue countries.” Pelosi is visiting a human rights museum in Taipei later Wednesday before she departs for South Korea, the next stop on an Asia tour that also includes Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. (ANI)
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