Joe Biden claims Pentagon not in support of Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August

US President Joe Biden stated recently that the Pentagon does not support House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned visit to Taiwan in the month of August. Joe Biden's remarks came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry threatened to take firm action if Pelosi went ahead with her plans to visit Taiwan in the coming days. “Well, I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now. But I don’t know what the status of it is," Joe Biden told media, the Associated Press reported. Furthermore, he stated that he is expected to speak to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the coming 10 days. 

The US House Speaker was initially scheduled to visit Taiwan in the month of April, however, she had to reschedule it after she tested positive for COVID-19. According to reports, she is scheduled to visit the East Asian country next month, however, her office is yet to confirm it. Pelosi's office declined to comment, citing established security protocols that prevent it from confirming or denying the Speaker's impending international travel. If Pelosi decides to go ahead with her plan, she would become the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in the last 25 years. Notably, Newt Gingrich was the last US House speaker who visited Taiwan back in 1997. 

Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan would strain China-US relations: Lijiang

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijiang, such a visit would fundamentally jeopardise China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, have a negative influence on the foundation of China-US relations and send a wrong message to Taiwan's independence forces. “If the US were to insist on going down the wrong path, China will take resolute and strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Lijiang stated in his daily briefing, as per AP. However, he did not give specifics regarding possible actions China might take in response to Pelosi's visit. 

China asserts absolute sovereignty over Taiwan

It is pertinent to mention here that China asserts absolute sovereignty over Taiwan, despite the island's self-government for more than seven decades. However, Taipei has countered Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic ties with democracies, particularly the United States, which China frequently opposes. Further, China has often condemned the United States for maintaining official ties with Taiwan, claiming that such activities violate "China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and contribute to regional instability."

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP