US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plan to visit Taiwan (equivalent to the Brazilian House of Representatives) angered China and created a geopolitical headache for the White House. How big is this problem?
China has warned there would be “serious consequences” if Pelosi makes the visit. Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency, will be the highest-ranking American political official to travel to the island since 1997.
The gesture upsets China, which sees the self-governing island of Taiwan as a breakaway province that should once again become part of the country. Beijing does not exclude the use of force to achieve this.
There are reports that even President Joe Biden’s administration is trying to dissuade Pelosi.
Last week, Biden told reporters that “the military [americanos] they think it’s not a good idea.” But the White House said the Chinese rhetoric was “clearly unhelpful and unnecessary.”
The US State Department said Pelosi has not officially announced any trips and the US position in Taiwan has not changed.
While the United States maintains what has been termed a “solid, informal relationship” with Taiwan, the country has official diplomatic ties with China, not Taiwan.
News of Pelosi’s possible trip comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing and precedes a much-anticipated phone call between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Why does Pelosi want to visit Taiwan?
There is strong US bipartisan support for Taiwan, both among voters and in Congress.
Throughout her 35-year career, Pelosi has been harshly critical of China. He denounced human rights abuses, met with pro-democracy opponents, and also visited Tiananmen Square to honor the victims of the 1989 massacre.
Pelosi’s original plan was to visit Taiwan in April, but was delayed after she tested positive for Covid-19. He declined to discuss the details of the trip, but said last week that “it’s important for us to show support for Taiwan.”
Why does China oppose the visit?
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex the island by force if necessary.
Chinese officials have expressed their anger at what they see as increased diplomatic relations between Taipei and Washington. This includes a surprise visit to the island by six US lawmakers in April.
On Monday (July 25th), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian warned that his country would take “hard and determined steps” if Pelosi continued her visit.
“And the United States will be responsible for all the serious consequences,” he said.
A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Defense suggested that there might even be a military response.
“If the US side insists on advancing, the Chinese military will never stop and will take strong measures to prevent any foreign interference and separatist attempts at ‘Taiwan independence’,” Colonel Tan Kefei told the local China Daily newspaper.
Image: Getty Images
conflicting signals
Rupert Wingfield-Hayesgives BBC news inside Taipei
If you’re a small island state with few allies, not recognized by the United Nations, and threatened by invasion by a much larger and more powerful neighbor, a visit by the third most powerful US politician should be a good thing. TRUE?
That’s why the Taiwanese government doesn’t want to tell US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to refrain from traveling.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has long called for high-level engagement with the United States. But there are also concerns as to why Pelosi has arrived now and whether her journey could make the situation far worse than helpful.
Three times last year, President Joe Biden said the United States would step in to support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. But his team has always backed down, insisting that there was no change in US policy.
When news of Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan was leaked, President Biden’s response was not supportive. “The Department of Defense doesn’t think it’s a good idea,” Biden said.
In Beijing this seems to be a weakness. In Taipei this seems to be a mess. What exactly is the US government’s policy towards the island?
Pelosi is 82 years old and is expected to retire in the second half of this year. Is he traveling with the intention of offering real support, or is it just a political gimmick? Nothing is clear.
How can travel increase tension?
At this year’s congress, the Chinese Communist Party is expected to re-elect Xi as president for an unprecedented third term.
President Biden, who last met with President Xi in March, said he would talk to him by phone in the coming days on a variety of topics, including Taiwan and other “tight issues.”
US officials have warned of China’s growing military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and the country’s “aggressive and irresponsible behavior” in the South China Sea.
Threats of retaliation for Pelosi’s visit raise concerns about a possible response from China.
When then-US Health Secretary Alex Azar flew to Taiwan in 2020, Chinese air force jets crossed the Taiwan Strait, the waterway between the island and China, within range of Taipei’s missiles.
Last week, the former editor of China’s state newspaper Global Times suggested there could be a “shocking military response” to Pelosi’s visit.
“If Pelosi visits Taiwan, military planes [do Exército de Libertação Popular] It will accompany Pelosi’s aircraft entering the island and make a historic crossing of the island with mainland military aircraft for the first time.”
So far, Washington has adopted a policy of “strategic uncertainty” in which the United States has not made it clear how to defend Taiwan in the event of a large-scale attack on the island.
– This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-62316657.
source: Noticias
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