Nancy Pelosi has 'right' to visit Taiwan, says the US amid China's warning of resolute response

Nancy Pelosi kicked off her Asia tour, the delegation led by her made a courtesy call to Singapore President Halimah Yacob, and also met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday.

Image courtesy: Reuters

Washington: As US National Security Council coordinator John Kirby on Monday said that US Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not confirmed her travel plans to Taiwan yet but she has the right to visit Taiwan and that her visit is not `uncommon`, China reiterated that it is keeping a close watch on the reports of Nancy Pelosi`s planned visit and warned of a resolute response and strong countermeasure if she insists on going ahead with the visit to Taipei. 

"If she goes it`s not without precedent, it`s not new," Kirby said adding, "The Speaker has not confirmed any travel plans and it is for the Speaker to do so, and her staff. The Speaker has a right to visit Taiwan...We won`t be commenting or speculating about the stops on her trip." 

The US House Speaker is expected to arrive in Taiwan on August 2 and meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. Pelosi is going to visit Taiwan, with scheduled meetings with government officials at the self-governed island that China threatens to forcefully overtake, media reports earlier said citing a senior Taiwanese government official and a US official.

The Taiwanese official is quoted as saying that Nancy Pelosi is expected to stay in Taiwan overnight. It is unclear when exactly Pelosi will land in Taipei. Since the reports of her visit were released last month, Beijing has been warning of Nancy`s Taiwan visit stating that it will act strongly and take countermeasures if the US side insists on going ahead with the visit. 

The Chinese officials have said Pelosi visiting Taiwan would violate the One China Policy and would constitute aiding an illegal rebellion. A Chinese state media outlet said visiting Taiwan is definitely a red line that Pelosi must never cross. 

Kirby said that the Biden administration will support Pelosi on a trip to Taiwan, adding "We want to make sure that when she travels overseas, she can do so safely and securely and we`re going to make sure of that. There is no reason for the Chinese rhetoric. There is no reason for any actions to be taken. It is not uncommon for Congressional leaders to travel to Taiwan," according to CNN. 

The US official further said that Defence department officials are working around the clock on monitoring any Chinese movements in the region and securing a plan to keep her safe.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, however, said that it is Pelosi`s decision whether she visits, adding, "we do not know what Speaker Pelosi intends to do. Congress is an independent, coequal branch of government. The decision is entirely the Speaker`s." Blinken reportedly said that such a visit has precedent, noting past speakers and members of Congress have visited Taiwan.

"And so if the speaker does decide to visit and China tries to create some kind of crisis or otherwise escalate tensions, that would be entirely on Beijing," ANI quoted Blinken as saying. He further added, "We are looking for them, in the event, she decides to visit, to act responsibly and not to engage in any escalation going forward." 

Nancy Pelosi, who is second in line to the Oval Office after the US vice-president, is also expected to hold a meeting with other high-ranking officials while in Taiwan on Tuesday and is scheduled to leave the island a day later. "She`s definitely coming," the people whom Pelosi is planning to meet with in Taiwan earlier informed the Wall Street Journal of her arrival. "The only variable is whether she spends the night in Taipei." 

There is, however, no official announcement for Pelosi`s visit, the stop, the first for a US House speaker in 25 years, is not currently on Pelosi`s public itinerary and comes at a time when US-China relations are already at a low point. Nancy Pelosi`s earlier visit to Taiwan in April had been postponed after she tested positive for COVID-19. At that time, Beijing had resolutely opposed any official exchange between the United States and Taiwan and stressed that the US should abide by the one-China principle, which is the political foundation for China-US relations.

China warns of resolute response if Pelosi steps ahead with Taiwan visit

China on Monday reiterated that it is keeping a close watch on the reports of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi`s planned visit to Taiwan. It also warned of a resolute response and strong countermeasure if she insists on going ahead with the visit to Taipei, CNN reported. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Monday said, "We would like to tell the US once again that China is standing by, and the Chinese People`s Liberation Army will never sit idly by. China will take resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," adding "As for what measures, if she dares to go, then let`s wait and see." 

In a statement that was released on July 31, Nancy Pelosi`s office said the US House speaker is leading a Congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. However, there was no mention of Taiwan which China regards as its own. 

Since the reports of the US House Speaker`s visit were released last month, Beijing has been warning of Nancy`s Taiwan visit saying that it will act strongly and take countermeasures if the US side insists on going ahead with the visit. 

In a video posted online Monday, the People`s Liberation Army`s Eastern Theater Command reportedly said that it would "bury incoming enemies" showing off its weaponry and fighting tactics. "Firmly stand by and ready for the fighting command; Bury all incoming enemies," said a message posted on Weibo.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told media persons that Pelosi`s Taiwan visit will have a severe negative impact on the political foundation of China-US relations. 

Even Biden had said the US military believes it is not a "good idea" for House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to travel to Taiwan as planned. "The military thinks it`s not a good idea right now," Biden was quoted as saying by the White House press pool. 

Pelosi kicked off her Asia tour, the delegation led by her made a courtesy call to Singapore President Halimah Yacob, and also met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday. 

The Congressional delegation led by Nancy Pelosi comprises Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks (D-New York), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Mark Takano (D-California), Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-Washington), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois), and Congressman Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said in a statement. 

(With ANI Inputs)