House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) released an official itinerary for her trip to Asia, adding visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but overlooked any mention of a visit to Taiwan.
Pelosi is leading a congressional delegation to the region and has reportedly visited the autonomous island of 24 million people, which remains in dispute between her government and that of mainland China.
BOCA CHINA THREATENS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR TAIWAN IF PELOSI VISITS
“In Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, our delegation will hold high-level meetings to discuss how we can promote our non-unusual interests and values, adding peace and security, economic expansion and trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate, crisis, human rights and democratic governance,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Under President Biden’s strong leadership, the United States is firmly committed to smart strategic engagement in the region, understanding that a relaxed and prosperous Indo-Pacific is for the prosperity of our country and the entire world. “
Speculation about Pelosi’s arrest in Taiwan has drawn criticism from a Chinese state media personality, who warn that China will inflict “severe punishment” on Taiwan if Pelosi stops for a visit.
“If Pelosi goes to Taiwan as planned, Tsai Ing-wen’s government is complicit. In fact, mainland China will provoke harsh punitive moves in Taiwan at the same time. The insufferable consequences will fall on Tsai’s government,” Hu wrote. Xijin, commentator for the Global Times, affiliated with the Chinese state.
Meanwhile, Biden and other management officials said the resolution belonged to Pelosi and pointed out that the military was involved in it.
Traveling with Pelosi, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee; Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA); Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL); and Representative Andy Kim (D-NJ).
The delegation has already made a brief fuel stop in Hawaii, where it visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial and the USS Arizona.
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The organization is expected to strengthen economic and security partnerships abroad, as well as “democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to Pelosi’s press release.