The trip of the 82-year-old speaker of the US House of Representatives, which was described as “extremely dangerous” by Beijing, caused a sensation worldwide and reactions even in the United States, where Pelosi has fierce critics, especially among conservatives.
It is not the first time that Nancy Pelosi has provoked a strong reaction from Beijing. Her visit to Taiwan today, defying warnings from the Chinese government, adds to a long list of past controversies as she has at times strongly criticized China’s policies.
The trip of the 82-year-old speaker of the US House of Representatives, which was described as “extremely dangerous” by Beijing, caused a sensation worldwide and reactions even in the United States, where Pelosi has fierce critics, especially among conservatives.
The White House expressed confusion over the visit, which was never officially confirmed before the plane carrying Pelosi landed in Taipei. However, spokesman John Kirby maintained that he does not think there is anything that “causes a crisis or a conflict”.
Not a few US officials have visited Taiwan in the past. However, the speaker of the House of Representatives is the highest-ranking US official to visit the island since the 1997 trip of her predecessor, Newt Gingrich.
The United States practices so-called “strategic ambiguity” diplomacy in relation to Taiwan. They only recognize the Chinese government, but continue to provide decisive support to Taipei. Washington, however, has avoided making clear whether it plans to defend Taiwan militarily in the event of an invasion.
In an article published today in the Washington Post, Nancy Pelosi assures that her visit is aimed “to be on the side of Taiwan (…) where democracy is threatened”.
In Tiananmen Square
Nancy Pelosi had angered Beijing in 1991 by visiting Tiananmen Square two years after the crackdown on pro-democracy protests. Accompanied by two MPs, she went to the square without authorization and raised a black and white banner in tribute to the protesters who were killed. “To those who died for democracy in China,” read the banner, which angered Chinese authorities. A police escort was removed from Tiananmen Square.
Nancy Pelosi also maintains friendly ties with the Dalai Lama, whom she visited in Dharamsala in 2008 and met the Archbishop of Shanghai. “If those who love freedom do not denounce the repression in China and Tibet, then we will lose any moral right to defend human rights anywhere in the world,” he said at the time.
He also called pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong “heroes” and strongly denounced the persecution of Uyghurs in China.
As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is second in line for the (emergency) presidency of the United States, after Vice President Kamala Harris.
Born on March 26, 1940 in Baltimore, she has been married since 1963 to businessman Paul Francis Pelosi with whom she has five children. He quickly rose to prominence within the Democratic Party and was elected to Parliament for the first time at the age of 47.
In the Republican camp he has many dislikes. After all, one does not easily forget her gesture in 2020, when she tore up the copy of the State of the Nation address that then-President Donald Trump had just delivered.
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