U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has confirmed she will visit Asia this week but has remained tight lipped on plans to visit Taiwan
A delegation will travel to the Indo-Pacific “to reaffirm America’s strong and unshakeable commitment to friends in the region”.
The trip will include “high level meetings” in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.
However, a potential visit to Taiwan has raised stern warnings from Beijing.
China is vowing to take “resolute and forceful measures” if the visit goes ahead, potentially triggering a cross-strait disaster.
China’s ruling communist party considers Taiwan as a breakaway region and opposes anyone suggesting otherwise. China has longed for control and reunification of Taiwan for decades.
Xi Jinping Photo credit: Griffith University
China has continued to make it clear that it will respond appropriately to any country that recognises Taiwan as a sovereign region.
China’s leader Xi Jinping has warned “those who play with fire with Perish by it”.