China warned on Tuesday that the United States will bear “responsibility” for a visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi during her Asian tour and that they will have to “pay the price”.
China warned on Tuesday that the United States will bear “responsibility” for a visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi during her Asian tour and that they will have to “pay the price”. “The United States will certainly be responsible (for the consequences) and will have to pay the price for their attack on China’s sovereignty and security,” Chinese diplomatic spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. Beijing considers the island as part of its territory to be reunified, by force if necessary, and has repeatedly warned Washington against a visit by the senior official which would be experienced as a major provocation.
Ms Pelosi was in Malaysia on Tuesday, where she met with the prime minister and speaker of the lower house of parliament, on her second leg of an Asia trip that has sparked speculation for several days about a potential visit to Taipei . AFP reporters saw Ms Pelosi exiting a hotel in the Malaysian capital and entering an SUV. His motorcade then left under high security. After Singapore and Malaysia, his itinerary includes stops in South Korea and Japan. The vagueness is knowingly maintained around a possible visit to Taiwan. In a statement, Ms Pelosi simply said: “We are engaged in a wide range of discussions on how to achieve our common goals and secure the Indo-Pacific”.
Visit “very likely”
Several Taiwanese media relayed comments from the vice-speaker of the island’s parliament, Tsai Chi-chang, saying that it was “very likely” that Ms Pelosi would go there in the coming days. Taiwanese newspaper Liberty Times quoted unnamed sources as saying Ms Pelosi would land on the island on Tuesday evening and meet Ms Tsai the following day before departing again in the afternoon. If the White House is embarrassed by the situation, John Kirby, his spokesman, said Monday that Ms. Pelosi had “the right to visit Taiwan”.
“There is no reason for Beijing to make this visit, which does not depart from long-standing American doctrine, a form of crisis,” he added. Although most observers rate the likelihood of an armed conflict as low, US officials have said they are preparing for possible displays of force by the Chinese military, such as missile strikes in the Taiwan Straits or massive air raids. around the island. On Tuesday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement it was “determined” to protect the island against threats from China.
The President of the Chamber is traveling on a military plane and although Washington does not fear a direct attack, the risk of a “calculation error” is very present. The United States practices with regard to Taiwan a so-called “strategic ambiguity” diplomacy, consisting in recognizing only one Chinese government, that of Beijing, while continuing to provide decisive support to Taipei. Washington, however, refrains from saying whether or not the United States would defend the island militarily in the event of an invasion. John Kirby reiterated that this policy remains unchanged. The Taiwanese government has refrained from commenting on a visit by Nancy Pelosi. Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang did not confirm the visit Tuesday when asked by reporters, but thanked Ms Pelosi for her support.
“Very dangerous”
The 23 million Taiwanese live under the constant threat of an invasion from China, this fear having increased since the coming to power of President Xi Jinping, who has made reunification a priority. Last week, during a telephone conversation with the American president, Mr. Xi called on the United States not to “play with fire”. “As we see it, such a visit seems very dangerous and very provocative,” Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun said at a press conference. “If this visit takes place, it will also weaken the relationship between China and the United States. I’m sure the United States understands that.”
To support their message, the Chinese military released a martial-tone video on the Internet on Monday showing soldiers shouting that they are ready for combat, fighters taking off, paratroopers jumping from a plane or a rain of missiles. which annihilate various targets.
“The likelihood of a war or a serious incident is low,” however, tweeted Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program of the American think tank German Marshall Fund. “But the likelihood of (China) taking a series of military, economic and diplomatic measures to show its strength and determination is not negligible,” she added. “It is likely that it will seek to punish Taiwan in multiple ways.” The Speaker of the House of Representatives would be, if her visit is confirmed, the highest American official to visit Taiwan since her predecessor Newt Gingrich in 1997.