SINGAPORE (National Times) – The White House on Monday warned China against overreacting to a trip by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, saying she would have every right to visit the self-ruled island despite Beijing viewing it as a highly provocative challenge.<\/p>\n
China need not turn any visit by Pelosi into a “crisis,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, even as he warned that Beijing may be “positioning” itself for a show of military strength around the island.<\/p>\n
Media reports have said that Pelosi, currently on an official Asia tour, will stop off in Taiwan and meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday — if so, the highest-level US visit to Taipei in decades.<\/p>\n
Beijing, which views Taiwan as its territory, has reacted furiously to the idea, warning President Joe Biden that his administration was playing “with fire” and announcing a series of live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Straits.<\/p>\n
While the White House and State Department are both understood to be opposed to Pelosi s trip, Kirby made it clear that the speaker — who is second in line to the US presidency — was entitled to go where she pleased.<\/p>\n
“The speaker has the right to visit Taiwan,” he told reporters, adding: “There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with longstanding US policies into some sort of crisis.”<\/p>\n
Kirby cited intelligence that China was preparing possible military provocations that could include firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or “large scale” incursions into Taiwan airspace.<\/p>\n
Pelosi kicked her trip off Monday with a stop in Singapore, where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged her at a meeting to strive for “stable” ties with Beijing.<\/p>\n
Her itinerary also includes Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but the prospect of a Taiwan visit has dominated attention.<\/p>\n
– Nothing has changed –<\/p>\n
Speculation about Pelosi s plans has coincided with an uptick in military activity across the region.<\/p>\n
Kirby said the United States “will not be intimidated” from continuing to move freely in the Pacific region.<\/p>\n
However, he sought to lower tension by stressing several times that US policy was unchanged toward Taiwan. This means support for its self-ruling government, recognizing Chinese sovereignty, and opposing either a full independence bid by Taiwan or a forceful takeover by China.<\/p>\n
“Nothing has changed,” he said. “There s certainly no reason for this to come to blows.”<\/p>\n
Kirby confirmed that Pelosi is traveling on a military aircraft and said Washington does not fear a direct attack, but warned it “raises the stakes of a miscalculation.”<\/p>\n
Pelosi s office has said her trip “will focus on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region,” referring to the Asia-Pacific.<\/p>\n
The statement did not mention Taiwan. But visits by US officials there are usually kept secret until delegations land.<\/p>\n
The Global Times, China s state-run tabloid, suggested that Pelosi might use “emergency excuses like an aircraft fault or refuelling” to land at a Taiwanese airport.<\/p>\n
“If she dares to stop in Taiwan, it will be the moment to ignite the powder keg of the situation in the Taiwan Straits,” Hu Xijin, a former Global Times editor and now commentator, tweeted.<\/p>\n
And the Chinese army s Eastern Theater Command shared footage on social media site Weibo featuring a combat-ready army with fighters and helicopters taking off, amphibious troops landing on a beach and a stream of missiles raining down on various targets.<\/p>\n
“We will bury all enemies who invade our territory,” a short text accompanying the footage read.<\/p>\n
“We re ready to fight,” it added. “Advance towards a joint combat and a victorious war.”<\/p>\n
– Taiwan government silent –<\/p>\n
Taiwan s 23 million people have long lived with the possibility of an invasion but the threat has intensified under Chinese President Xi Jinping.<\/p>\n
American officials often make discreet visits to Taiwan to show support but a Pelosi trip would be higher-profile than any in recent history.<\/p>\n
Taiwan s government has remained silent on the prospect of a Pelosi visit and there has been minimal local press coverage.<\/p>\n
“I really hate what the Chinese are doing,” Hsu Ching-feng, a fruit vendor in Taipei, told AFP.<\/p>\n
“But there s nothing us common folks can do about it but ignore them.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SINGAPORE (National Times) – The White House on Monday warned China against overreacting to a trip by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, saying she would have every right to visit the self-ruled island despite Beijing viewing it as a highly provocative challenge. China need not turn any visit by Pelosi into a “crisis,” […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39442,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n