Washington has sought to ease tensions with China, angered by a possible visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, as claimed by Beijing. Pelosi is the third most senior figure in the US administration, and it is possible that she will start an Asian tour starting Friday, which may include a stop in Taiwan, but she refuses to confirm this for security reasons.
Beijing may view this possible visit to Taiwan as a provocation. China announced the organization of military exercises “with live ammunition” in the Taiwan Strait. This is a sensitive issue for Washington, since the Speaker of the US House of Representatives is the central figure in President Joe Biden’s Democratic majority. But her possible visit to the island would be a step forward in the confrontation with Beijing, which threatens to complicate the task of American diplomats seeking not to poison relations with the Asian giant.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden made clear in a rare face-to-face conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that the US stance on Taiwan “has not changed” and that it “strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the situation or threaten peace.” and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
For his part, Xi urged his US counterpart not to “play with fire” on Taiwan, and a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman called Pelosi’s visit to the island a “red line.”
Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have risen over the visit, which has yet to be confirmed. In response to a question asked on Friday, Pelosi apparently declined to answer, citing “security concerns.” Neither the White House nor Blinken on Friday confirmed or denied the possibility that Pelosi made the trip to Taiwan or even Asia.
Uncertainty over the status of this island in the China Sea is fueling tensions between Washington and Beijing.
