United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi concluded a historic Taiwan tour that drew global attention and warnings from China. She is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
During her visit, Pelosi pledged that the American commitment to democracy on the self-governing island and elsewhere “remains ironclad.”
“Our Congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as a strong statement that America stands with Taiwan. We came to Taiwan to listen to, learn from and show our support for the people of Taiwan, who have built a thriving Democracy that stands as one of the freest and most open in the world,” she said in her official statement.
Pelosi and other members of her delegation on Wednesday met with President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and had an interparliamentary meeting with Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-chang and leaders of other parties in the Parliament.
“America’s determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad,” she said in a speech.
Taiwanese president thanked Pelosi for making the trip. “Your visit not only reflects strong U.S. congressional support for bilateral ties – it also sends a message to the world that democracies stand together in the face of common challenges” she said on Twitter.
However, she added that the Congressional delegations to Taiwan “in no way contradicts longstanding United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, U.S.-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances. The United States continues to oppose unilateral efforts to change the status quo.”
Pelosi’s visit is part of a broader travels in the Indo-Pacific — including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan — focused on security, prosperity and governance. The U.S. House speaker has left Taiwan on an American Air Force jet and is on her way to neighbouring South Korea.
Shortly before her departure, Pelosi said: “Make no mistake: America remains unwavering in our commitment to the people of Taiwan – now and for decades to come.”
Pelosi visited Taiwan despite warnings
She made the trip despite President Biden cautioning publicly that the U.S. military felt it was “not a good idea right now.”
China immediately condemned Pelosi’s visit and announced new military exercises surrounding Taiwan later this week including live-fire drills.
China’s assistant minister of foreign affairs Hua Chunying said in a string of tweets that Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan was a “major political provocation.”
