U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to visit Taiwan as part of her tour of Asia, according to a senior Taiwanese government official and a US official, despite warnings from Biden administration officials.
The Taiwanese official added that Pelosi is expected to stay in Taiwan overnight. According to CNN, it is still unclear when exactly Pelosi will land in Taipei.
The US official added that Defense Department officials are working around the clock on monitoring any Chinese movements in the region and securing a plan to keep her safe, according to CNN.
On Monday, China warned against the “egregious political impact” of Pelosi’s planned visit to the self-governing island that China claims as a part of its territory and reiterated that its military “won’t sit by idly” if Beijing feels its “sovereignty and territorial integrity” is being threatened.
US officials added that Defense Department officials are working around the clock on monitoring any Chinese movements in the region and “securing a plan” to keep her safe.
This comes after Pelosi released her itinerary and plans to visit at least four Asian countries during her trip to the region, but a stop in Taiwan was not mentioned.
The release on Sunday included Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan.
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“Today, our Congressional delegation travels to the Indo-Pacific to reaffirm America’s strong and unshakeable commitment to our allies and friends in the region,” Pelosi said in the release.
“In Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, our delegation will hold high-level meetings to discuss how we can further advance our shared interests and values, including peace and security, economic growth and trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, human rights, and democratic governance,” said Pelosi.
“Under the strong leadership of President Biden, America is firmly committed to smart, strategic engagement in the region, understanding that a free and flourishing Indo-Pacific is crucial to prosperity in our nation and around the globe.”
Pelosi’s itinerary announcement comes after President Joe Biden said earlier this month that U.S. military officials believe a visit to Taiwan from the Speaker is “not a good idea.”
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