Washington: Having landed in Taiwan amid soaring tensions with China’s military, the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, defended her controversial trip to the self-ruling island, saying she was making clear that American leaders “never give in to autocrats” in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post, The Guardian reported.
“We cannot stand by as (China) proceeds to threaten Taiwan — and democracy itself,” said Pelosi’s piece, published just as the veteran California congresswoman’s plane touched down on August 2.
“Indeed, we take this trip at a time when the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy.”
Given that Pelosi’s trip presents a serious diplomatic headache for US President Joe Biden, there had been much speculation about the motivations behind the controversial visit. In her op-ed Pelosi struck a hard line against China’s position that her trip was a provocation and placed it in the context of a broader global struggle over political freedom.
In the article, Pelosi said: “We take this trip at a time when the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy. As Russia wages its premeditated, illegal war against Ukraine, killing thousands of innocents — even children — it is essential that America and our allies make clear that we never give in to autocrats,” The Guardian reported.
China has branded a landmark visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “extremely dangerous”, BBC reported. It accused Pelosi, the most senior US politician in 25 years to visit the island China claims as its own, of “playing with fire”.
China – which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will one day reunite with it – has previously warned that its armed forces “will not stand idly by”.
Chinese drills seriously violated sovereignty: Taiwan
Taiwan’s defense ministry said that Chinese military drills have violated United Nations rules, invaded Taiwan’s territorial space, and amount to a blockade of its air and sea, amid high tensions as US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits the island.
The ministry said the island will firmly defend its security, counter any move that violates territorial sovereignty, and enhance its alertness level with the principle of not asking for war.
It added during a news conference that China continues to launch psychological warfare on Taiwan and that citizens should not believe in rumors and report any fake news to the government.
