The speaker of the US Chamber, Nancy Pelosi, landed at Songshan airport in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. She is the highest level US representative to set foot on the island since 1997. The landing was followed live on the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry channel on YouTube which showed Pelosi descending, in a pink suit, towards the official welcoming delegation. Waiting for her at the Taipei airport are both the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US ambassador, Sandra Oudkirk, and the island’s foreign minister, Joseph Wu. Behind them, other Taiwanese officials can be seen, including some in military uniforms. Pelosi greeted the crowd that had reached the port to celebrate her arrival on the island.
China versus the US: this is why Taiwan has become the center of a strategic challenge
by Enrico Franceschini
Pelosi’s visit sparked growing tensions between China and the United States. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and sees visits from foreign government officials as a recognition of the island’s sovereignty. China renewed its “firm opposition” and “firm condemnation” for the visit to Taiwan and filed a strong protest against the United States. This was reported in a statement released in the evening by the Beijing Foreign Ministry, shortly after the landing in Taipei of the flight with the delegation led by Pelosi on board. China had warned of “firm and strong measures” if Pelosi went ahead with the trip.