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A28 u.s. news
Diamars 2 augustus 2022

White House decries China rhetoric over Pelosi Taiwan visit

it and moved north, heading to their
homeport in Japan. The carrier has
an array of aircraft, including F/A-18
fighter jets and helicopters, on board
as well as sophisticated radar systems
and other weapons.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after
the Communists won a civil war on
the mainland. Both sides say they are
one country but disagree over which
government is entitled to national
leadership. They have no official re-
lations but are linked by billions of
dollars of trade and investment.

The United States switched diplo-
matic recognition from Taipei to Bei-
jing in 1979, but maintains informal
relations with the island. Washington
is obligated by the Taiwan Relations
Act, a federal law, to see that Taiwan
has the means to defend itself.

Washington's "One China policy" says
it takes no position on the status of
the two sides but wants their dispute
resolved peacefully. Beijing promotes
an alternative "One China principle"
that says they are one country and the
Communist Party is its leader.
"We expect to see Beijing continue to
use inflammatory rhetoric and disin-
(AP) — The White House on Daily News, Liberty Times and Chi- head of one of three branches of the formation in the coming days," Kirby
Monday decried Beijing's rhet- na Times — Taiwan's three largest U.S. government, would be the high- said. "The United States, by contrast,
oric over an expected visit by national newspapers — cited uniden- est-ranking elected American official will act with transparency."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to tified sources as saying she would ar- to visit Taiwan since then-Speaker On Monday, Pelosi met with Sin-
Taiwan, vowing the United States rive in Taipei after visiting Malaysia Newt Gingrich in 1997. gaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien
"will not take the bait or engage and spend the night. Loong, President Halimah Yacob and
in saber rattling" and has no in- Talk of such a visit is sparking fury The Biden administration has tried other Cabinet members.
terest in increasing tensions with in Beijing, which regards Taiwan as to assure Beijing there was no reason
China. its own territory and has repeatedly to "come to blows" and that if such Singapore's Foreign Ministry said
warned of "serious consequences" if a visit occurred, it would signal no Lee welcomed a U.S. commitment to
White House National Security the reported trip goes ahead. change in U.S. policy. Administra- strong engagement with the region,
Council spokesman John Kirby tion officials on Monday called on and the two sides discussed ways to
underscored that the decision on "If Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan, China to tone down the rhetoric, un- deepen U.S. economic involvement
whether to visit the self-ruled island China will take resolute and strong derscoring that there was no reason through initiatives such as the Indo-
that China claims as its own was ulti- measures to defend its sovereignty for Beijing to escalate tensions in the Pacific Economic Framework.
mately Pelosi's. He noted that mem- and territorial integrity," Chinese Taiwan Strait over the potential visit.
bers of Congress have routinely vis- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Members of the Senate Foreign Re- Lee and Pelosi also discussed the
ited Taiwan over the years. Lijian said in Beijing, without giving lations Committee were to receive a war in Ukraine, tensions surround-
details. classified briefing on Taiwan from se- ing Taiwan and mainland China, and
Kirby said administration officials are "Those who play with fire will per- nior Pentagon and State Department climate change, it said in a statement.
concerned that Beijing could use the ish by it," Zhao said. "We would like officials on Monday evening. Lee "highlighted the importance of
visit as an excuse to take provocative to once again admonish the U.S. that "What I can say is this: this is very stable U.S.-China relations for re-
retaliatory steps, including military we are fully prepared for any eventu- much precedent in the sense that gional peace and security," it added,
action such as firing missiles in the ality and the PLA will never sit idly previous speakers have visited Tai- in an apparent allusion to reports of
Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan, fly- by." The People's Liberation Army is wan, many members of Congress go Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.
ing sorties into Taiwan's airspace and China's military. to Taiwan, including this year," Sec- Pelosi has said she is visiting Sin-
carrying out large-scale naval exercis- retary of State Antony Blinken said. gapore, Malaysia, South Korea and
es in the strait. Chinese President Xi Jinping also "And so, if the speaker does decide to Japan in a tour to discuss trade,
"Put simply, there is no reason for warned the U.S. against meddling in visit and China tries to create some the COVID-19 pandemic, climate
Beijing to turn a potential visit con- Beijing's dealings with the island in a kind of crisis or otherwise escalate change, security and "democratic
sistent with long-standing U.S. poli- phone call last week with President tensions, that would be entirely on governance."
cy into some sort of crisis or use it as Joe Biden. Beijing."
a pretext to increase aggressive mili- Still, U.S. officials have signaled that On Thursday, Pelosi is to meet with
tary activity in or around the Taiwan China has been steadily ratcheting the military would be prepared to re- South Korean National Assembly
Strait," Kirby said. up diplomatic and military pressure spond if needed in the event of any Speaker Kim Jin Pyo in Seoul for
on Taiwan. Threats of retaliation for action by China in response to any talks on security in the Indo-Pacific
The Biden administration pushed a visit by Pelosi have driven concerns possible stop in Taiwan by Pelosi. region, economic cooperation and
back on Beijing as Pelosi held talks of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait, the climate crisis, Kim's office said in
with officials in Singapore on Mon- which separates the two sides, that On Monday, the Navy aircraft carrier a statement.
day at the start of her Asian tour. could roil global markets and supply USS Ronald Reagan and its strike
chains. group were in the Philippine Sea, ac- It declined to provide further details
While there have been no official an- cording to the officials who spoke on about her itinerary, including when
nouncements, local media in Taiwan Beijing sees official American con- the condition of anonymity to discuss she is arriving in South Korea and
reported that Pelosi will arrive Tues- tact with Taiwan as encouragement to military operations. how long she'll stay. Pelosi's schedule
day night, making her the highest- make the island's decades-old de facto .The Reagan, the USS Antietam, a for Wednesday remains unclear and
ranking elected U.S. official to visit independence permanent, a step U.S. cruiser, and the USS Higgins, a de- there were no details on when she
in more than 25 years. The United leaders say they don't support. Pelosi, stroyer, left Singapore after a port vis- will head to Japan.