Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, arrived in Taiwan on an official visit. How informs newspaperThe New York Times,
Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan <…> became the most “high-ranking” in the last 25 years; It will create a tense standoff with China that could lead to increased militarization.”
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protested Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and denounced her.
“Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan seriously violates the One China Principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US communiqués. China urges the United States to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and fawning over pro-Taiwan independence forces. <…> “Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a serious violation of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it said.
The media released footage of Pelosi’s plane landing; as well as footage showing the speaker of the lower house of the US Congress descending the stairs. After that, he started taking pictures with local politicians.
A statement from Pelosi’s press office says“His visit is a testament to the US commitment to support Taiwanese democracy,” he said. According to him, the visit does not contradict the US policy towards China.
He added that the United States continues to oppose Beijing’s unilateral attempts to “change the status quo” on Taiwan.
Also, Washington Post Pelosi’s goal published His article on supporting Taiwan.
“The Communist Party of China (CCP)) continues to threaten Taiwan and democracy itself. We are making this journey at a time when the world is faced with a choice between autocracy and democracy. As Russia continues its deliberate, illegal war against Ukraine, it is important that America and our allies make it clear that we will never bow to autocrats. When I headed the congress delegation in Kiev, I conveyed to President Volodymyr Zelensky that we admire his people’s defense of democracy for Ukraine and democracy worldwide. Traveling to Taiwan, we reaffirm our commitment to democracy by reaffirming that Taiwan’s freedoms and all democracies must be respected.
Pelosi also accused the CCP of exerting ruthless and consistent crackdown on political freedoms and human rights in Hong Kong – failing to keep its promises of “one country, two systems”.
“In Tibet, the CCP has long campaigned to destroy the language, culture, religion, and identity of the Tibetan people. In Xinjiang, Beijing is committing genocide against Muslim Uighurs and other minorities. And across the mainland, the CCP continues to target activists, religious freedom leaders, and others who dare to challenge the regime.”
At the same time, the PRC Air Force sent Su-35 warplanes to the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan Strait area has been closed to civilian aircraft by the PRC authorities. The United States sent eight F-15 fighters from an airbase on the Japanese island of Okinawa to accompany Pelosi.
At least 300 police officers are involved in providing security and traffic control during the movement of the convoy of the president of the US House of Representatives on the island.
In addition, the maritime affairs administration in China’s Zhejiang Province, located in northern Taiwan, announced that naval firing exercises will be held in the East China Sea on August 3-5.
Navigation in the water area is prohibited.
Prior to that, the PRC Maritime Security Administration reported that the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) began exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, August 2, in the background of a possible visit by Pelosi to Taiwan.
Taiwanese media reported that camouflage covers of anti-aircraft guns were removed at Songshan airport on the island where Pelosi landed. The airport is protected by double-barreled 35 mm surface-to-air artillery mounts. They are used to fight drones or ammunition. The guns were placed near the runway. Radar systems are also made ready.
The US Navy also deployed the USS Ronald Reagan and the landing craft Tripoli and USS America to Taiwan. Another aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln, the USS Essex, and 36 other warships and three submarines are stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong put to sea on August 2, reports the China Times. “Their nominations speak of the intensification of military conflict between China and the United States in the region,” the report says.
Media attention in the context of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan also attracted attention with an intriguing detail. Politicians from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party have ordered 100 cups of bubbly milk tea for Nancy Pelosi’s delegation, the island’s Central News Agency reported. A huge LED banner saluting Pelosi appeared at a busy intersection in downtown Taipei. In the building of the Legislative Yuan, red carpets were laid in anticipation of the speaker.
Sinologist Alexander Gabuev, senior advisor to the Albright Stonebridge Group, claims:
“Today markedly increases the risk of a military conflict involving China and the United States in the next 5-10 years.”
He noted that the most important consequences of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan – and this is the personal initiative of the 82-year-old speaker who caused protests in the White House – will not happen at this time.
“In the coming weeks, a military-political crisis fraught with the risk of unintentional errors and incidents may await us. At the same time, both Beijing and Washington will try to contain tensions and prevent war. The weight of China’s retaliation will fall on Taiwan itself. Economic sanctions, the buyback of countries that recognize Taipei’s independence, cyber-attacks, aggressive exercises involving intrusions into its territorial waters and airspace are far from the full arsenal of China’s tools. summarized Specialist in Telegram channel.