Pelosi, US House Speaker, Visits Taiwan for the First Time in 24 Years... China Expected to Strongly Protest

Leading the House delegation to visit Taiwan on the 10th, the second visit since Speaker Gingrich in 1997
Likely a visit to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, the basis for Taiwan arms sales

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, is scheduled to visit Taiwan, according to Taiwan's United Daily News. It will be the first time in 24 years that a U.S. House Speaker visits Taiwan in person.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

United Daily News reported on the 7th that Speaker Pelosi will lead a delegation of House members to arrive in Taiwan on the 10th to mark the 43rd anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (April 10).

This will be the second time a sitting U.S. House Speaker visits Taiwan, following Newt Gingrich in April 1997. The delegation is also reported to include Gregory Meeks, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The surprise card of the House Speaker's visit to Taiwan is interpreted as a direct demonstration of the U.S. Congress's emphasis on the Taiwan Relations Act.

The Taiwan Relations Act is a U.S. domestic law enacted in 1979. The U.S. established diplomatic relations with China in 1979 and severed official ties with Taiwan. Despite the severance, the U.S. has maintained relations with Taiwan based on this law, including the sale of defensive weapons.

In addition, the U.S. made six assurances to Taiwan in 1982. At that time, President Donald Reagan promised not to amend the Taiwan Relations Act just before the announcement of the August 17 Joint Communiqu?. He also promised not to set a deadline for arms sales to Taiwan, not to consult with China prior to arms sales to Taiwan, not to act as a mediator in cross-strait (China-Taiwan) relations, not to change the consistent position on Taiwan's sovereignty, and not to pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China.

The U.S. conducts arms transactions with Taiwan based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the six assurances. Whenever China demands adherence to the "One China" principle, the U.S. cites its domestic laws as a countermeasure.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned the day before about the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announcement of $95 million worth of weapons sales to Taiwan, including Patriot interceptor missiles, stating that "China will resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty and security interests."

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China also harshly criticized the U.S., saying, "The U.S. must correct its wrong actions of arms sales and stop playing with fire on the Taiwan issue." It warned that selling weapons to Taiwan seriously violates the "One China" principle and the three major China-U.S. joint communiqu?s (key statements related to bilateral relations at the time of diplomatic establishment).

In this regard, the state-run Global Times reported on the 7th that this is already the third arms sale since U.S. President Joe Biden took office, accusing American arms dealers of making money off Taiwan.

Photo by Global Times capture

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping criticized, saying "Taiwan is the U.S.'s cash dispenser," and added that Taiwan will have to pay even more to the U.S. in the future for missile maintenance and other costs.

The Global Times editorial titled "The Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan separatists, have drunk the bitter cup," argued that the U.S. only sells weapons and will not directly protect Taiwan. It also pointed out that U.S. arms sales are a kind of protection fee.

The outlet introduced recent public opinion poll results conducted in Taiwan. In a survey asking whether the U.S. military would directly intervene in the event of a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait, expectations for U.S. military intervention dropped by a staggering 30.5 percentage points compared to six months ago, the media emphasized. It further criticized Taiwan's purchase of U.S. weapons as mere political agitation by President Tsai Ing-wen and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

If Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is finalized, it is expected that Chinese authorities will take corresponding measures, further worsening U.S.-China relations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.