US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has released scathing statements on her official website and in an op-ed for the Washington Post upon arrival in Taiwan, accusing China of threatening the self-ruled island "and democracy itself". She stressed that the US can't "stand by" and let this happen.
The US lawmaker claimed that her trip to Taiwan comes at a time "when the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy". She added that her visit forms part of Washington's "commitment to democracy" and reaffirmed that Taiwan and other democracies in the world "must be respected".
"In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) accelerating aggression, our congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as an unequivocal statement that America stands with Taiwan, our democratic partner, as it defends itself and its freedom," Pelosi said.
Pelosi took the opportunity to praise the Taipei regime, calling it a "vibrant, robust" democracy that is considered one of the freest in the world. She further praised the island's recent successes, such as its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and in combatting climate change, as well as the "entrepreneurial spirit, culture of innovation and technological prowess".
Despite statements from the US House speaker about a "threat" from China, the region has not seen the tensions and amount of military activity witnessed upon her visit for decades. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployed armored vehicles and aircraft carriers in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait, while the US Navy also moved its aircraft carrier strike group closer to the island ahead of Pelosi's visit.
The island's defenses were also raised to level 2 alert as the US House speaker's plane approached Taiwanese airspace.
China condemned Pelosi's trip to Taiwan, which it considers a breakaway province, as a major political provocation and an attempt to undermine the status quo. Beijing stressed that her visit harshly violated the One-China principle and Sino-US communiques that regulate Washington's relations with the island.