Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan feeds fears of a dangerous escalation between China and the United States

The US insisted on Wednesday that China sees no reason to turn US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan into “a crisis”, despite the fact that after this trip it may be doomed to an escalation of tension with the Asian giant.

Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday for South Korea after a two-day trip to the island, which sparked the ire of Beijing, which on Thursday announced the start of live-fire military exercises in areas around that territory. .

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday remained true to Joe Biden’s government rhetoric as Pelosi’s intentions to visit Taiwan leaked in the media.

“We knew China would behave this way, we will be vigilant, we will deal with whatever Beijing chooses to do,” said Jean-Pierre.

Joe Biden comes off

At all times, the Joe Biden administration has tried to distance itself from this visit and pointed out that it is a personal decision by Pelosi, the highest US official to visit Taiwan in a quarter of a century.

Global Taiwan Institute think tank executive director Russell Hsiao told the EFE agency Apparently the White House has gone to great lengths to discourage Pelosi from going to Taiwan.in light of public disagreements and official statements about the US military’s concern about this trip.

“Basically, this is a decision by the president (of the lower house) and I think President Biden respected the fundamental principle of the US political system, the separation of powers,” he said.

Asian expert Thomas Shattuck, of the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank, told EFE that when a congressman takes this type of trip, has the support of the Armed Forces in terms of transport and logistics.

Therefore, he deduced, “there has been coordination since you took a military plane and the president is the commander in chief. But beyond this there is no coordination, it is very clear in the light of the statements that have appeared, the leaks. .. that the Administration is not very happy with their decision “.

In fact, China immediately showed its unease with the announcement of military exercises and the imposition of economic sanctions against Taiwan.

Taiwanese historian James Lin, a professor at Washington University, predicted that Beijing’s retaliation could continue in the coming days and weeks, as it has only increased its “nationalist theatrical skills” in front of its audiences, domestic and foreign.

However, Lin stressed that “it is possible” that China will only apply the punishment to Taiwan and not the United States.

A “more unstable” region.

Shattuck said he is “100%” sure it will be there an escalation of tension between the two great powers which will make the Indo-Pacific region more “unstable”.

In his opinion, the military maneuvers that China will launch this Thursday are “a very provocative measure”: “They will test ammunition and missiles in areas where civilians, ships or civilian containers can pass”, he remarked.

These exercises, he added, assume that there will be ships that will have to be hijacked to avoid the Taiwan Strait, because no one knows what will happen.

“There is a possibility that an accident will occur and if it happens, or someone misunderstands a movement or an action, they will continue to climb the ladder,” he mused.

Currently, The United States has several warships in the area: A U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesperson told EFE on Tuesday that the country has the Ronald Reagan Aircraft Carrier Battle Group and the amphibious ship USS Tripoli near Taiwan.

However, he clarified that the combat group carries out “routine operations in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea”.

This group includes the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, destroyer USS Higgins, and guided missile cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville, the source cited, adding that the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli carries out “routine operations” in the Philippine Sea. .

“Supporting democracy”

Although an increase in tension was to be expected, Pelosi herself said in an opinion article published Tuesday in the newspaper Washington Post that his visit will serve to “support” the democracy of the island in the face of the “threats” it suffers from China.

“By traveling to Taiwan, we honor our commitment to democracy and reaffirm that the freedoms of Taiwan and all democracies must be respected,” he said in the editorial.

Lin, who is currently in Taiwan, said that, in addition to demonstrating and reaffirming the support of the United States, with this trip Pelosi wanted to communicate to his allies that his country is committed to security in the region.

Lin also explained that the US Congress, on the part of both Democrats and Republicans, was quite pro-Taiwanese: “I think Pelosi and the rest of the congressmen see themselves as representatives of pro-Taiwan sentiment within the branch. United States Legislative. ” , he pointed.

Source: EFE

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