Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan. This became known from the frames of the broadcast of the China Times TV channel on YouTube.
The American politician was greeted by local officials. Immediately after the special flight landed at the Taipei airport, Pelosi released a statement in which she called her visit to Taiwan consistent with US policy on the island.
Our visit is one of several visits by congressional delegations to Taiwan and is in no way inconsistent with long-standing US policy under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the US-China joint communiqué, and six documents [соответствующими] assurances
The fact is that most countries do not recognize the independence of Taiwan, including the United States, which, even against the background of the current aggravation, declares adherence to the principle of one China, according to which Taiwan is considered part of the PRC.
Pelosi stressed that Washington continues to oppose unilateral attempts to “change the status quo” on Taiwan. She added that the American side cannot stand by when China “threatens Taiwan and democracy in general.”
Plan for Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan
According to local media, Pelosi will be staying at the Grand Hyatt in Taipei, with 48 rooms booked for her delegation. The next morning after her arrival, she will visit Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan. At 8:50 local time, a US congressional delegation will meet with Taiwan’s Legislative Assembly Speaker Yu Si-kun. The faction leaders of Taiwan’s ruling and opposition parties are also invited to the event.
Related materials:
On the same day, Pelosi will meet with the head of the Taiwanese administration, Tsai Ing-wen. According to TVBS, the American politician is scheduled to have lunch with Tsai, after which she will visit the National Museum of Human Rights, dedicated to the memory of the victims of the White Terror, the persecution of the opposition during the years of Kuomintang rule.
Pelosi’s visit is expected to last until 17:00 local time, after which the American politician will travel to South Korea.
China’s reaction to Pelosi’s visit
Chinese Ambassador to Washington Qin Gang said China’s response will be powerful and strong. The diplomat noted that Pelosi’s visit would lead to an escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait and in relations between Beijing and Washington.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The agency said Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan violated the One China principle and the provisions of the China-US communiqué. Official Beijing also called on the United States to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.
In turn, the Eastern Military Region of the Chinese Army announced a series of military operations near Taiwan. According to him, they will begin on the evening of Tuesday, August 2. In particular, a test of a missile with a non-nuclear warhead and long-range firing in the Taiwan Strait will be carried out.
The situation around the visit of Pelosi heated up for several days
China initially condemned Pelosi’s intentions to visit the island, which Beijing considers one of its provinces. In such a gesture, the PRC authorities see connivance with Taiwanese separatism.
In this regard, China has stepped up its military activities in coastal areas, starting military exercises with the participation of all branches of the armed forces. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been moving weapons to Fujian province, separated from Taiwan by a strait, in recent days. On August 2, launchers for Chinese ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads were seen there.
Related materials:
American media reported that the White House tried to dissuade Pelosi from traveling to Taiwan, fearing a Chinese reaction. Nevertheless, the politician did not abandon her plans. Against this background, the Pentagon began to pull additional forces to Taiwan, including aircraft carriers.
The Kremlin called Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan a provocation. According to Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow is in solidarity with Beijing and understands its sensitive attitude towards the Taiwan issue. “The US is choosing the path of confrontation. It does not bode well,” he said.
Taiwan issue
The debate over Taiwan’s political status has been going on for more than 70 years. After the defeat in the civil war with the Communists in 1949, the former government under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan, nevertheless declaring itself the only legitimate power in all of China. The state split into the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Until the 1970s, a significant number of countries recognized the government in Taipei, but then their number decreased significantly. Since the 1980s, relations between Beijing and Taipei have begun to improve. China proposed to regulate relations on the basis of the principle of “one country – two systems”, which would involve the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland as an autonomy. However, this issue has not yet been resolved: Taiwan continues to function as an independent state, while mainland China considers its leadership to be separatists.
#China #failed #stop #Pelosis #visit #Taiwan