United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan on Tuesday evening, a visit which might significantly escalate tensions between the US and China. Visuals shared by news agency Reuters showed Pelosi landing at the Songshan Airport in Taipei. According to the local media, Pelosi was welcomed into Taiwan by the country's foreign minister Joseph Wu.
Taking to Twitter, Pelosi said, "Our delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy."
“Our discussions with Taiwan leadership reaffirm our support for our partner & promote our shared interests, including advancing a free & open Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
“Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts long standing United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, US-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances,” the US House speaker further tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}“Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts long standing United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, US-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances,” the US House speaker further tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}Pelosi will visit the Taiwanese Parliament on Wednesday morning, have lunch with President Tsai Ing-wen and will also meet democracy activists, the local media further said.
She is the highest-ranking American official to visit Taiwan in 25 years. The last such visit to the Island nation was made by then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chinese government warned that the United States will have to pay the price if Pelosi visited Taiwan. "The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.
China's warning has fuelled speculations of a threat of military exercises and possible incursions by Chinese planes and ships into areas that are under Taiwan's control.
Ahead of Pelosi's visit, Taiwan's presidential office website came under cyber attack and was at one point malfunctioning. However, the services were restored shortly.
(With agency inputs)