- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has arrived in Taiwan. Their plane landed in the capital, Taipei, on Tuesday evening.
- The great politician ignored the warnings of China, which considers Taiwan part of the People’s Republic of China.
- Shortly before landing, Chinese warplanes crossed the Taiwan Strait, according to Chinese state television.
- The Chinese Ministry of Defense announced that it would respond to the visit with “purposeful military operations.”
- Despite the political tensions with China, a visit to Taiwan is most welcome. In Taipei, this is also seen as a setback for Beijing.
Representatives from both Taiwanese parties welcomed Nancy Pelosi at the airport. The President’s Office officially announced that Pelosi will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Wednesday morning. She added that Taiwan hopes the visit will deepen the partnership with the United States and promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
CNA news agency reported that the Taiwanese army has beefed up its readiness. The two-stage alarm system is no longer an “emergency” rating, but rather a “normal operational readiness” rating.
China begins ‘military operations’
Shortly before Pelosi landed in Taipei, Chinese warplanes flew through the Taiwan Strait between mainland China and Taiwan. It was a SU-35 fighter jet, CCTV reported. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Twitter that more than 20 Chinese military aircraft had entered the air defense zone.
Beijing has threatened the United States with consequences if Pelosi visits Taipei. Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden in a phone call that “those who play with fire will die.”
Beijing has threatened the United States with consequences if Pelosi visits Taipei. Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden in a phone call that “those who play with fire will die.”
Pelosi pledged continued US support for Taiwan. After arriving in Taipei on Tuesday evening, she said her visit underscores the “unwavering commitment of the United States to support an active democracy in Taiwan.” “America’s solidarity with the 23 million people in Taiwan is more important now than ever as the world faces a choice between authoritarianism and democracy.”
The destination is not clear for a long time
The US Air Force Boeing C-40C (737), with which Pelosi had previously flown to Malaysia, left Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday morning. The plane flew over the Indonesian islands of Java and Sulawesi and then turned north over the Philippines. Shortly after 4pm (Swiss time), the plane entered Taiwanese airspace. The device’s route with flight number SPAR19 was the most followed flight on Flightradar24.com for hours.
From the point of view of the Chinese leadership, Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China, although it was already independently governed by it before its founding in 1949. That is why Beijing strongly rejects official contacts from other countries with the government in Taipei, citing the “one China principle” .
The White House warned Beijing against escalation. “There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit, consistent with longstanding US policy, into a crisis or conflict,” said John Kirby, the Security Council’s director of communications. The United States will not engage in “rattle of swords”. At the same time, the United States will not be intimidated.
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