Spkr Pelosi Visits Singapore, Expected To Visit Taiwan Despite Beijing's Warnings (Updated)

[Webster]

(The Guardian) House speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Singapore today...



Meanwhile, Tingting Liu, a foreign affairs correspondent with the Taiwanese news channel TVBS, reported that sources had told her Pelosi will be arriving in the capital Taipei on Tuesday night. CNN cited a senior Taiwanese government official and US official in reporting that the visit is expected to go ahead.

 

[Webster]

(The Guardian) The other major foreign policy development today concerns relations between the US and China, which are being strained by the expected visit of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. (Guardian correspondent) Nicola Slawson sets the scene: Taiwan’s defence ministry has warned it would appropriately dispatch forces in reaction to “enemy threats”, as China stepped up its military rhetoric on the day of a highly controversial expected visit to Taipei by the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

In a statement on Tuesday, the defence ministry said it had a full grasp of military activity near Taiwan and the “determination, ability and confidence” to ensure Taiwan’s national security. It added that it had made various unspecified plans for an emergency.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s premier reiterated that it “warmly welcomes” foreign guests, before the potential visit by Pelosi. Taiwan “would make the most appropriate arrangements” for such guests and respect their plans, Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Tuesday when asked about a visit. The statements came after Reuters reported several Chinese warships and planes had travelled near the median line – an unofficial border between China and Taiwan in the Taiwan strait.

 

[Webster]

(The Guardian) A US air force plane that could be carrying House speaker Nancy Pelosi is in the final minutes of its flight towards Taipei, Reuters reports.

If Pelosi is on the jet, the city’s skyscrapers are ready for her, Taiwan’s TVBS News reports.

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Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has landed in Taiwan, the Associated Press reports, defying threats from China, which warned of “serious consequences” if the lawmaker visited the island it considers a breakaway province.

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It’s awfully dark, but here are the first images of Pelosi in Taiwan, which show her disembarking in a pink suit to be received by what looks like a group of local officials...

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

I’ll give her this even though I think she is worse than a piece of shit stuck on the bottom of my shoe that doesn’t want to come out while spraying it with a hose. She is a tough cookie!

 

[Webster]

I’ll give her this even though I think she is worse than a piece of shit stuck on the bottom of my shoe that doesn’t want to come out while spraying it with a hose. She is a tough cookie!

Definitely a "Nixon Goes To China" moment, my friend....

 

[Webster]

(The Guardian) Congress' support for Taiwan 'remains ironclad', Pelosi says as she concludes trip
Following her visit to Taiwan and China’s furious response, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reiterated her commitment to standing up for the country and said it’s shared by lawmakers across the US Congress.

“Our Congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as a strong statement that America stands with Taiwan. We came to Taiwan to listen to, learn from and show our support for the people of Taiwan, who have built a thriving Democracy that stands as one of the freest and most open in the world,” Pelosi said in a statement after the trip.

“Our partnership remains unwavering, and support in the Congress – House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans – remains ironclad.”

Much of her statement recapped what she did during the visit to the island, which lasted about a day, and saw Pelosi discuss topics ranging from climate change to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry to “Congress’ ongoing commitment to helping Taiwan defend its freedom in the face of aggression”.

 

[Nebulous]

She is a tough cookie!

 

[Webster]

China's pissed as hell over it... (like anyone cares but still...)

China begins live-fire military exercises in six zones around Taiwan, says state media – live

Beijing says large-scale drills around island have started; Taiwan defence ministry says its website suffered cyber attacks

www.theguardian.com

 

[Webster]

Newspapers in Taiwan have understandably put Nancy Pelosi’s visit front and centre on their front pages today. (Taiwan newspapers with front page photos of Nancy Pelosi. Photograph: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA)