The rumored plan of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, for an official tour to Taiwan has angered Beijing and left the White House with a severe geopolitical headache. So, Beijing warned of the severe consequences on Monday if the House speaker proceeded with an official tour of Taiwan in the coming weeks.
US White House Representative Nancy Pelosi had plans to visit Taiwan, catching Chinese officials’ attention. Hence, China has warned the United States about severe consequences if Pelosi really goes for the Taiwan trip.#NancyPelosi #PelosiTaiwanVisit #China #consequences #Taiwan pic.twitter.com/EFJfeOZvB7
— Live News Now (@LiveNewsNow6) July 27, 2022
Nancy Pelosi would be the highest-ranking United States politician to travel to the independent island democracy since 1997. But Beijing sees self-ruled Taiwan as a separate province that will finally be part of the nation again – and has not forgotten about the likely use of force to achieve this. Furthermore, the possible tour has not annoyed China – the Biden government reportedly tried to discourage Pelosi from going.
President Joe Biden said in a last-minute statement, “the military does not think this is a good idea.” However, his White House has referred to Chinese rhetoric against such a trip as “clearly unhelpful and unnecessary.” It’s been reported by the state department that Pelosi hasn’t announced any travel plans and that the US-Taiwan relationship remains the same.
Why would House Speaker want to visit Taiwan?
Both the American public and the US Congress are firmly in favor of Taiwan. Throughout her 35-year congressional career, Speaker Pelosi has been a vocal critic of China. Her protests against the Chinese human rights record, meetings with pro-democracy dissidents, and visits to Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 1989 massacre have all been condemned.
Initially, Pelosi planned to visit Taiwan in April, but when she tested positive for Coronavirus, she postponed the trip. The House speaker denied commenting about her visit, but last week she said it was important for the United States to show support for Taiwan.
28 years ago, we traveled to Tiananmen Square to honor the courage & sacrifice of the students, workers & ordinary citizens who stood for the dignity & human rights that all people deserve. To this day, we remain committed to sharing their story with the world. #Tiananmen30 pic.twitter.com/7UqiJVRS3t
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 4, 2019
The Reason Behind the Chinese opposition to Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit
China views Taiwan as its territory and has repetitively talked about the chance of occupying it by force if necessary. In recent months, Chinese officials have expressed anger over Taipei’s increasing diplomatic engagement with Washington. It includes six United States lawmakers who made a surprise trip to the island in April. In response to Pelosi’s planned visit, Zhao Lijian, spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, warned his nation could take resolute measures. He added that the Biden government would be responsible for all severe consequences.
Source: Web
A Chinese ministry of defense spokesperson, Colonel Tan Kefei, seemed to suggest there could even be a military response from China. He told China Daily that if the United States insists on going ahead, China’s military force will never sit idle and watch. Still, it will take decisive actions to prevent any outside interference and separatist efforts for Taiwan’s independence.
Read Also: China Warns of Severe Actions if Taiwan Provokes on Independence
