US will not abandon Taiwan, says Pelosi

Taipei, August 3

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan after a visit that heightened tensions with China, saying on Wednesday that she and other members of Congress in her delegation showed they will not abandon their commitment to the self-governing island.

Pelosi, the first US Speaker to visit the island in more than 25 years, courted Beijing’s wrath with the visit and set off more than a week of debate over whether it was a good idea after news of it leaked. In Taipei, she remained calm but defiant.

“Today, the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” she said in a short speech during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, adding: “America’s determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad.”

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments, announced multiple military exercises around the island, parts of which will enter Taiwanese waters, and issued a series of harsh statements after the delegation touched down on Tuesday night in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei.

It announced live-fire drills that reportedly started that night, as well as the four-day exercises starting Thursday.

Taiwan decried the planned actions, saying they violated the island’s sovereignty. It scrambled jets on Wednesday to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft in its air defence zone, the island's defence ministry said, adding that 22 of them crossed the median line separating the self-ruled island from China amid rising tensions. — Agencies

Taipei responds firmly

Facing heightened military threats, we will not back down. We will continue to hold the line of defence for democracy. — Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese Prez

China threatens ‘strong’ countermeasures

China will take strong and effective countermeasures against the US and Taiwan for violating the One-China policy. We will do what we have said. — Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokesman

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