Pelosi Taiwan Visit: Beijing Vows Consequences If US Politician Travels to Island

[Professor Pigworth]

There's no fool like an old fool. What could possibly go wrong with stirring up trouble in Taiwan and provoking the Chinese government? The timing is especially lousy and stupid considering what's happening in the Ukraine.

Just how much of a fool and rank amateur as an international stateswoman is Pelosi?  Even fool's fool Biden has cautioned her to rein in her foolishness.

The Chinese are smart enough to know that "We're concerned about human rights and democracy in Taiwan" = "We want Taiwan to be under our sphere of influence and are eager to make even more money for our military-industrial complex by selling lots and lots of weapons to Taiwan."

Pelosi Taiwan Visit: Beijing Vows Consequences If US Politician Travels to Island

 

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's rumoured plan for a trip to Taiwan has infuriated China and left the White House with a serious geopolitical headache. How big a problem is this?

On Monday, China warned of "serious consequences" if Nancy Pelosi were to proceed with a visit to Taiwan in the coming weeks.

Second in line to the presidency, Mrs Pelosi would be the highest ranking US politician to travel to the self-governing island democracy since 1997.

However, China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be part of the country again -- and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this.

The potential trip has not only rankled Beijing -- the Biden administration has reportedly tried to dissuade the California Democrat from going.

Last week, President Joe Biden told reporters "the military thinks it's not a good idea," but his White House has called Chinese rhetoric against any such trip "clearly unhelpful and not necessary."

The state department says Mrs Pelosi has not announced any travel and the US approach to Taiwan remains unchanged.

 

Why would Pelosi want to visit Taiwan?

There is strong bipartisan support for Taiwan among the American public and in the US Congress.

And over a congressional career spanning 35 years, Speaker Pelosi has been a vocal critic of China.

She has denounced its human rights record, met with pro-democracy dissidents, and also visited Tiananmen Square to commemorate victims of the 1989 massacre.

Mrs Pelosi's original plan was to visit Taiwan in April, but it was postponed after she tested positive for Covid-19.

She has declined to discuss details of the trip, but said last week that it was "important for us to show support for Taiwan."

Why does China oppose the visit?

Beijing views Taiwan as its territory, and has repeatedly raised the spectre of annexing it by force if necessary.

Chinese officials have expressed anger over what they view as growing diplomatic engagement between Taipei and Washington. This includes a surprise visit to the island by six US lawmakers in April.

On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian warned his country would take "firm and resolute measures" if Mrs Pelosi went ahead with her visit.

"And the US will be responsible for all of the serious consequences," he said.

A spokesman of the Chinese ministry of defence seemed to suggest there could even be a military response.

"If the US side insists on going ahead, the Chinese military will never sit idle and will take strong measures to thwart any external interference and separatist attempts for 'Taiwan independence'," Colonel Tan Kefei told China Daily.

Speaker Pelosi unveils a statue of the 'Tank Man' from Tiananmen Square at a rally with Chinese dissidents in 2019

A precarious balancing act

US policy on Taiwan is a balancing act: it acknowledges that China considers the self-governing island to be part of "One China." But it opposes any attempts to change Taiwan's democratic status by force, and sells weapons to help Taipei defend itself.

That balance has looked more precarious with Russia's war against Ukraine: administration officials are watching for signals of what lessons Beijing might be learning, if any, that it could apply to Taiwan.

They are also anxious about increasingly aggressive Chinese statements and actions towards Taipei, including an assertion that the Taiwan Strait is not international waters.

President Biden is expected to raise both Russia and Taiwan with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this week in a phone call aimed at managing the complicated relationship.

But the spectre of a visit from the Speaker of the House in this incendiary political environment threatens to raise tensions sharply.

US officials fear some sort of military response from China, although analysts doubt any imminent attempt by Beijing to annex Taiwan by force.

Citing the separation of powers, the administration has refrained from going public with its views, but some prominent Republicans have been outspoken. In an unusual twist of the partisan divide, they are backing Mrs Pelosi's trip and urging the White House to do the same.

How might the trip escalate tensions?

At its party congress later this year, the Chinese Communist Party is set to re-elect Xi Jinping to an unprecedented third term as president.

President Biden -- who last spoke with President Xi in March -- has said they will speak over the phone again in the next few days, on a range of topics including Taiwan and other "issues of tension."

The call comes as US officials warn of a Chinese military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region and "aggressive and irresponsible behaviour" in the South China Sea.

The threats of retaliation over Mrs Pelosi's visit have raised concerns over China's possible response.

When then-US Health Secretary Alex Azar flew to Taiwan in 2020, Chinese air force jets crossed over the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait -- the narrow waterway between the island and its giant neighbour -- within range of Taipei's missiles.

Last week, the former editor of China's state-run Global Times newspaper suggested a "shocking military response" may be in store for Mrs Pelosi.

"If Pelosi visits Taiwan, [People's Liberation Army] military aircraft will accompany Pelosi's plane to enter the island, making a historic crossing of the island by military aircraft from mainland for the 1st time," Hu Xijin wrote.

Until now, Washington's policy of "strategic ambiguity" has meant the US has been deliberately unclear about whether or how it would defend Taiwan in the event of a large scale attack on the island.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62310576

 

[HipKat]

Jeez dude, you're like a spineless little lamb on some of these topics. Fuck China and Fuck Russia. 

[f8ta1ity54]

the clock continues its countdown to WW3.

 

[FanBack]

15 minutes ago, f8ta1ity54 said:

the clock continues its countdown to WW3.

 

More likely the clock counts down Pelosi's husband investing in China based on capitulation by this administration. 

[f8ta1ity54]

9 minutes ago, FanBack said:

More likely the clock counts down Pelosi's husband investing in China based on capitulation by this administration. 

probably. but lets not pretend that this isnt a problem in both parties.

[Greg]

I didn't realize a broom could fly that far.

[Woody]

I hope she goes.  China is threatening to arrest her ass.  You know Sloppy Joe won't do anything about it if she gets rolled up. 

 

[Herodotus]

You know how our sanctions on Russia are hurting our economy and that of Europe?  Just wait until Biden and co sanction China.  God its gonna be shortage city here.  

[LIBills]

Her formaldehyde count is down. She needs to visit her local morgue now.

[Herodotus]

1 hour ago, LIBills said:

Her formaldehyde count is down. She needs to visit her local morgue now.

Moscow has a nice mausoleum [Lenin's] and they can do amazing things with embalming fluid.  100 years on and Lenin looks fresh.  Do an embalming specimen exchange and nobody would notice the difference

[FanBack]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:30 AM, f8ta1ity54 said:

probably. but lets not pretend that this isnt a problem in both parties.

Not a problem for this man:

[Professor Pigworth]

This lunatic is actually in Taiwan now. 

First they poke the bear and now the dragon. Russia's red line was encouraging Ukraine to join NATO. China's red line was overt interference militarily and politically in Taiwan, just as Nancy, who is about to sign arms agreements, etc., is now doing. Both lines were crossed with no apparent thought as to the seriousness of the consequences. 

I read elsewhere that people in the Biden administration are seriously entertaining the idea of taking on China now because technologically and militarily speaking China is weaker at the moment than it will be in the future. Well, but there's this small matter of China, like Russia, having nuclear weapons, which in the end ensures almost everyone's destruction on both sides. 

Christ, these people are mad and irresponsible.

 

China Condemns Pelosi Visit As a Serious Violation

China's Foreign Affairs Ministry has strongly condemned Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, calling it a "serious violation of the One-China principle" that will have a "severe impact" on the political foundation of China-US relations.

In a statement, the ministry said Pelosi's visit "seriously infringes upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

"It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'", the ministry said.

China strongly urged the US to "stop playing the 'Taiwan card' and interfering in China's internal affairs", and to "not go further down the wrong and dangerous path".

 

Protesters Outside Hotel Where Pelosi Is Expected to Stay

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

Reporting from Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi's plane touched down at Taipei's Songshan airport at 22:44 local time.

Shortly afterwards, the top Democrat and her delegation could be seen coming down the steps of the US government plane and being greeted by local Taiwanese officials.

Pelosi is now expected to travel by motorcade to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei where she will stay the night.

There is a small protest being held outside the hotel by a pro-China group opposed to her visit. Some held up banners reading "Go home, warmonger".

Pelosi is the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan since then House Speaker Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in 1997.

Taiwan media is reporting that Pelosi will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Yingwen tomorrow morning, before going to Taiwan’s parliament, and then to a human-rights museum in the afternoon.

[RichJ]

On 7/27/2022 at 8:36 PM, Woody said:

I hope she goes.  China is threatening to arrest her ass.  You know Sloppy Joe won't do anything about it if she gets rolled up. 

 

that would be so cool of that happened

[Philly'sFinest]

Anyone else think this is because Pelosi wants China to invade Taiwan, and this will give them the reason to?

They will invade, and Biden will sit on his hands because China owns him

These people have all this planned well ahead of time

 

[Woody]

13 minutes ago, Philly'sFinest said:

Anyone else think this is because Pelosi wants China to invade Taiwan, and this will give them the reason to?

They will invade, and Biden will sit on his hands because China owns him

These people have all this planned well ahead of time

 

I think she's on some sort of ass-covering mission.  Normally when the White House tells you not to go somewhere you heed their advice.  Pelosi went anyways. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Woody]

LOL. 

 

[jc856]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:38 AM, Greg said:

I didn't realize a broom could fly that far.

That crotch would suck all the moisture out of the wood and it would have catastrophic structural failure, resulting in a loss of the aircraft and all souls aboard.

[RichJ]

Cmon China. Make Pelosi roommates with Brittney Griner. Pretty surr we will give you millions in ransom money. Just do it. 

[FanBack]

14 hours ago, Professor Pigworth said:

This lunatic is actually in Taiwan now. 

First they poke the bear and now the dragon. Russia's red line was encouraging Ukraine to join NATO. China's red line was overt interference militarily and politically in Taiwan, just as Nancy, who is about to sign arms agreements, etc., is now doing. Both lines were crossed with no apparent thought as to the seriousness of the consequences. 

I read elsewhere that people in the Biden administration are seriously entertaining the idea of taking on China now because technologically and militarily speaking China is weaker at the moment than it will be in the future. Well, but there's this small matter of China, like Russia, having nuclear weapons, which in the end ensures almost everyone's destruction on both sides. 

Christ, these people are mad and irresponsible.

 

China Condemns Pelosi Visit As a Serious Violation

China's Foreign Affairs Ministry has strongly condemned Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, calling it a "serious violation of the One-China principle" that will have a "severe impact" on the political foundation of China-US relations.

In a statement, the ministry said Pelosi's visit "seriously infringes upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

"It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'", the ministry said.

China strongly urged the US to "stop playing the 'Taiwan card' and interfering in China's internal affairs", and to "not go further down the wrong and dangerous path".

 

Protesters Outside Hotel Where Pelosi Is Expected to Stay

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

Reporting from Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi's plane touched down at Taipei's Songshan airport at 22:44 local time.

Shortly afterwards, the top Democrat and her delegation could be seen coming down the steps of the US government plane and being greeted by local Taiwanese officials.

Pelosi is now expected to travel by motorcade to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei where she will stay the night.

There is a small protest being held outside the hotel by a pro-China group opposed to her visit. Some held up banners reading "Go home, warmonger".

Pelosi is the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan since then House Speaker Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in 1997.

Taiwan media is reporting that Pelosi will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Yingwen tomorrow morning, before going to Taiwan’s parliament, and then to a human-rights museum in the afternoon.

We elected a President with dementia.   He wasn't supposed to announce the trip.   Then China would have released a statement afterwards, perhaps - 'The people of the one China are disappointed with the reckless United States actions and if repeated there will be dire, perhaps military, consequences!.'

China, of course, knew about the trip.   But they wouldn't have had to respond prior. to the trip publicly.  This is worse than most posters here realize.   It's bad.   None of my usual hyperbole; this is as bad and as unnecessary as a diplomatic action could be.

Pelosi is a shit show corrupt politician from a gangster family.   That's true; it is. 

But she's third in line to the presidency.

Numerous uno, Biden, has dementia and Harris is completely incompetent.  Harris is the biggest political joke since John Edwards.

Trump's not looking so bad.   Is he?

[Greg]

9 hours ago, RichJ said:

Cmon China. Make Pelosi roommates with Brittney Griner. Pretty surr we will give you millions in ransom money. Just do it. 

I would rather they make her roommates with Bin Laden, Hitler and other deceased demon spawns. 

[HipKat]

22 hours ago, Professor Pigworth said:

This lunatic is actually in Taiwan now. 

First they poke the bear and now the dragon. Russia's red line was encouraging Ukraine to join NATO. China's red line was overt interference militarily and politically in Taiwan, just as Nancy, who is about to sign arms agreements, etc., is now doing. Both lines were crossed with no apparent thought as to the seriousness of the consequences. 

I read elsewhere that people in the Biden administration are seriously entertaining the idea of taking on China now because technologically and militarily speaking China is weaker at the moment than it will be in the future. Well, but there's this small matter of China, like Russia, having nuclear weapons, which in the end ensures almost everyone's destruction on both sides. 

Christ, these people are mad and irresponsible.

 

China Condemns Pelosi Visit As a Serious Violation

China's Foreign Affairs Ministry has strongly condemned Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, calling it a "serious violation of the One-China principle" that will have a "severe impact" on the political foundation of China-US relations.

In a statement, the ministry said Pelosi's visit "seriously infringes upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

"It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'", the ministry said.

China strongly urged the US to "stop playing the 'Taiwan card' and interfering in China's internal affairs", and to "not go further down the wrong and dangerous path".

 

Protesters Outside Hotel Where Pelosi Is Expected to Stay

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

Reporting from Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi's plane touched down at Taipei's Songshan airport at 22:44 local time.

Shortly afterwards, the top Democrat and her delegation could be seen coming down the steps of the US government plane and being greeted by local Taiwanese officials.

Pelosi is now expected to travel by motorcade to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei where she will stay the night.

There is a small protest being held outside the hotel by a pro-China group opposed to her visit. Some held up banners reading "Go home, warmonger".

Pelosi is the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan since then House Speaker Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in 1997.

Taiwan media is reporting that Pelosi will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Yingwen tomorrow morning, before going to Taiwan’s parliament, and then to a human-rights museum in the afternoon.

It must suck to be so fucking scared all the time

[HipKat]

19 hours ago, Woody said:

I think she's on some sort of ass-covering mission.  Normally when the White House tells you not to go somewhere you heed their advice.  Pelosi went anyways. 

 

Normally when somebody tells you not to do something at that age and you don’t heed their advice it’s because you’re fucking senile.

[Woody]

2 minutes ago, HipKat said:

Normally when somebody tells you not to do something at that age and you don’t heed their advice it’s because you’re fucking senile.

[RichJ]

5 hours ago, Greg said:

I would rather they make her roommates with Bin Laden, Hitler and other deceased demon spawns. 

dont worry , she'll be rooming with them at some point. 

 

Meanwhile........ if white priviledge does exists or if anyone is above the law, look no futher.... 

Democrats are the party of liars and crooks

 

BTw, for those who will bitch about this being a fox report, save your tears and tell us instead if what they are  reporting are false. 

 

 

[Toofast80]

“Please Lord do the human population of this planet a HUGE favor and make Misses Pelosis husband a widower” thank you 🙏!