On her recent visit to Taiwan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan this week and vowed to "strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capability." This visit was widely seen as a symbol of solidarity with the Taiwanese people amidst Chinese aggression. In response to Pelosi's visit, China conducted military training exercises close to Taiwan. Public opinion surrounding Pelosi's visit and Chinese aggression is highly mixed.
“This visit is part of our broader travels in the Indo-Pacific, focused on security, prosperity and governance – on which Taiwan is a global leader," Pelosi said. " America’s solidarity with the people of Taiwan is more important today than ever, as we continue to support the defense of democracy against autocracy in the region and in the world.”
Steven Collinson, White House Reporter for CNN, questioned the prudency of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in an analysis piece for CNN. He observed that “Pelosi's achievements in Taiwan are largely personal, symbolic and short-term.” By calling Taiwan “their own country,” Pelosi seemingly contradicted the U.S. Government’s official stance of not recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Collinson noted that Pelosi’s visit “could harden beliefs among Chinese leaders that Congress is bent on stiffening Taiwan policy -- an impression that could pull the diplomatic tightrope over the island's status closer to a breaking point. While that may not be Pelosi's intention, misconceptions can drive military escalations in such a volatile foreign policy relationship.”
Opinion columnist Matthew Brooker expressed strong support for Pelosi’s visit in a recent column with Bloomberg. He observed that “Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan may have been poorly timed, an unnecessary provocation, a reckless gamble, a grandstanding act or a combination of them all, depending on who’s talking. But there’s little doubt that the House speaker has done a good job so far of communicating the fundamental issues behind her trip, and why the island’s fate should matter to the world.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, Pelosi met with the Taiwanese President and reaffirmed that the US is committed to the small, island nation which faces ever-growing threats from the People’s Republic of China. The Speaker of the House is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in a quarter-century.
In a speech delivered to the people of Taiwan, House Speaker Pelosi asserted that “Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy. America’s determination to preserve democracy here in Taiwan and around the world remains ironclad, the Journal reported. ”Highlighting the modern significance of her visit, Speaker Pelosi noted that “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year has made security over the Taiwan Strait another focus of worldwide attention. We will do whatever it takes to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capability.”
According to Reuters, following speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China held extensive military exercises on Thursday. The PRC launched dozens of planes and fired active missiles in the Taiwan Strait, close to the island nation of Taiwan. In an official announcement, the Chinese government stated that these exercises are “internal” and will continue in 6 separate zones until noon on Sunday.
The government of Taiwan has reported that 22 Chinese jets flew across the median line between the two nations, Reuters reported. The government of Japan has reported that 5 missiles have landed within its economic zone. State broadcaster CCTV has reported that the Chinese drills involved over 100 bombers and fighter jets, as well as over 10 warships.
The Wall Street Journal notes that the PRC claims Taiwan to be part of its sovereign territory. However, the small island nation has its own economy, elections, government, and media. The United States does not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation but has also vowed to provide military aid to the island if mainland China seeks to invade and conquer Taiwan.
