China Says Its Military ‘Will Not Sit Idly By’ If US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Visits Taiwan: Report

Despite Beijing's threats and Biden administration's attempt, Pelosi will be going ahead with her plan to visit Taiwan, although the same is not yet there in her public schedule.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

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New Delhi: China has warned of military action against Taiwan if Nancy Pelosi visits Taipei despite efforts from the Biden administration to withhold the island nation out of her tour to four Asian countries — Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, reported the Guardian. On Monday, Beijing which has been already making hostile threats earlier, stepped up its warning saying that its military would “not sit idly by” if the visit happened as per the report. A US official told news publication CNN that " in the face of that admonition the Pentagon was working around the clock to monitor any Chinese movements in the region.

Pelosi's visit increases the offence in China's view as a Speaker she is being viewed as third in line for the presidency in the US after Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris. China’s spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, said that because of Pelosi’s status as the “No 3 official of the US government”, a visit to Taiwan would “lead to egregious political impact”, the report quoted. 

Pelosi To Go Forward With Taiwan Visit

Despite Beijing's threats and the Biden administration's attempt, Pelosi will be going ahead with her plan to visit Taiwan, although the same is not yet there in her public schedule. Citing a report by Tingting Liu, a foreign affairs correspondent with the Taiwanese news channel TVBS, the Guardian report stated that Pelosi will be arriving in Taipei on Tuesday night. A report by CNN also said that the visit is expected to go ahead, quoting a senior Taiwanese government official and a US official.