US national security officials are working behind the scenes to convince House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the risks her possible trip to Taiwan could pose during a highly sensitive time between the autonomous island and China.
Sources close to the deputy’s plans say she plans to visit Taiwan in the coming weeks as part of a wider trip to Asia and has invited Democrats and Republicans to join her. If Pelosi goes, she will be the first House speaker to visit the island in over 25 years.
The potential trip is underscoring President Joe Biden’s administration’s concerns about China’s projects in Taiwan, as Beijing has stepped up its rhetoric and aggressive actions towards the island in recent months, including sending warplanes into the identification zone. of Taiwanese air defense several times.
US officials have expressed concern that these actions could be a precursor to even more aggressive measures by China in the coming months aimed at asserting its authority over the island.
The war in Ukraine has only intensified those concerns, as Biden and other senior officials nervously note what lessons China may be drawing from the Western response to Russia’s aggression.
Meanwhile, Chinese leader Xi Jinping – whom Biden hopes to speak with this week – is believed to be laying the groundwork for a third term as president in the coming months, contributing to tense geopolitics in the region.
The possible link between Biden and Xi was under negotiation before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan became public, officials noted.
Government officials shared their concerns not only about Pelosi’s safety during the trip, but also about how China might respond to such an important visit.
With the Chinese economy showing its worst performance in two years, Xi is at a sensitive political juncture ahead of a major meeting on the extent of his rule and could use a political victory, several officials told CNN .
With this tense environment. Pelosi proposed visiting Taiwan with a congressional delegation, a trip so far not publicly confirmed. But that hasn’t stopped China from criticizing, saying a visit would violate US policy towards the island.
China’s Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that Pelosi’s trip must be cancelled, warning that the Chinese military will “resolutely defend national sovereignty” if faced with “external forces” that encourage Taiwan independence.
“China demands that the US take concrete steps to fulfill its commitment not to support ‘Taiwan independence’ and not arrange for Pelosi to visit,” Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said on Tuesday. in response to travel questions.
“If the US insists, the Chinese military will not stand by and will definitely take strong measures to prevent interference by any outside force and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
Because Pelosi is in the presidential line of succession, the administration takes extra care of her safety when she travels abroad, the White House said Tuesday.
This includes establishing ground monitoring based on location and environment, sometimes using military resources, according to John Kirby, communications coordinator for the National Security Council. “We take these obligations seriously,” Kirby said, reiterating that Pelosi has not announced any travel plans to visit Taiwan.
Risk exposure
Behind the scenes, Biden administration officials have been working to explain the potential risks of a visit in meetings with Pelosi and her team. Pentagon officials briefed the Democrat last week on Taiwan and rising tensions in the region, according to people familiar with the matter. White House officials were also present at the briefing.
The president let slip last week that the US military was opposed to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan now, but the White House declined to expand on the comments. Even Pelosi said during a press conference last week that he wasn’t sure what Biden meant.
“I think the president was saying that maybe the military was afraid that my plane was going to be shot down or something. I don’t know exactly,” she said.
The White House said on Tuesday it was providing Pelosi with information about her possible trip. “Our job is, of course, to make sure she has all the context and information before traveling anywhere. But that kind of rhetoric coming from the Chinese side is clearly pointless and unnecessary,” Kirby told CNN .
“There is no appeal for that kind of rhetoric,” added Kirby. “Again, none of this should turn into conflict. Nothing has changed in our policies towards China’s policies or in supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself. So there is no reason for this to be intensified.”
Tense moment in China
Government officials are concerned that Pelosi’s trip comes at a particularly tense time, as Xi is expected to seek an unprecedented third term at the upcoming Chinese Communist Party congress.
Chinese party officials are expected to begin laying the groundwork for such a conference in the coming weeks, pressing the leadership in Beijing to show strength.
Officials also believe that the Chinese leadership does not fully understand the political dynamics in the US, leading to a misunderstanding of the significance of Pelosi’s possible visit.
Sources say China may be confusing the House speaker’s visit with an official government visit, as she and Biden are both Democrats. Government officials are concerned that China will not separate Pelosi too much from Biden.
Instead, the politics around potential travel has been reversed. Several Republicans encouraged Pelosi to go ahead with her plans, arguing that it would be a strong stance against China, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“Nancy, I’m coming with you. I’m banned in China but not in Taiwan, freedom lover. See you there!” Pompeo wrote on social media this week.
Pelosi has long cultivated a tough stance on China. She issued a strong statement in June, on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, reminding everyone that she helped lay a banner there two years after the massacre, saying, “To those who died for democracy in China.”
Search for stability
Biden, who has sought to stabilize ties with China through regular talks with Xi Jinping, is planning another phone call with the Chinese leader this week in which the Taiwan issue is likely to be discussed.
The president last spoke to Xi in March, when he worked to convince the Chinese leader not to support Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine.
Officials have been closely watching how Beijing responds to the invasion, hoping the mostly united Western response – including a devastating set of economic sanctions and billions of dollars in arms shipments – will be enlightening as China considers its actions towards Taiwan. .
Kirby indicated on Tuesday that China is watching the global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as it plans next steps in Taiwan, saying, “I’m sure they’re watching this in real time,” but that “there was no reason for it to be returned.” in any kind of conflict.”
US officials believe there is a small risk that China will miscalculate in responding to a visit from Pelosi. Government officials are concerned that the Chinese could try to declare a no-fly zone over the island in an effort to reverse the trip, potentially further increasing tensions in the region, a source told CNN .
That remains a remote possibility, officials said. More likely is the possibility that China will step up flights to Taiwan’s air defense zone, which could spark further discussions on possible joint responses against the Chinese.
While the government does not plan to officially tell Pelosi not to travel to Taiwan, officials have been frank in briefings about the risks associated with travel. People familiar with the matter say their hope is to quietly convince them of the dangers.
In the end, she will make her own decision, Biden’s officials noted.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
