London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

US prepares military plan for Pelosi Taiwan visit

US prepares military plan for Pelosi Taiwan visit

The Pentagon could send additional ships, aircraft and surveillance systems to protect US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi if she proceeds with her plan to visit Taiwan.
A “contingency plan”, which is being developed by the American military, involves creating “overlapping rings of protection” for the speaker during her flight to the island and her stay there.

The officials also spoke of the need to create “buffer zones” around Pelosi and her plane during the visit, ready for any potential incidents relating to China, AP reported.

Beijing, which considers the self-governed island a part of its territory, has repeatedly warned that Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan might trigger a serious reaction and have “unbearable consequences” for relations between China and the US.

“If the US insists on going its own way and challenging China’s bottom line, it will surely be met with forceful responses,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian told journalists on Wednesday.

The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, recently noted that the number of intercepts by Chinese aircraft and ships in the Pacific region, involving American forces and their allies, has significantly increased over the past five years. He also warned of a rising number of “unsafe” interactions.

The US officials, who spoke to AP, doubted that China would take any direct action against Pelosi herself, but some analysts said a Chinese show of force might go “awry” and result in a dangerous accident, such as an air collision.

Earlier, several media reports suggested that Beijing might go as far as to declare a no-fly zone over Taiwan or send warplanes to “escort” the House speaker’s plane.

The officials told AP that the US would need to have rescue capabilities on the ground during the visit, adding that some helicopters and ships could be sent to the area for that purpose. They also said the prospect of an intercept or show of force by the Chinese military would make it necessary for American aircraft to be present in the area during the trip.

Milley did not comment on what exact measures could be taken to ensure Pelosi’s safety, but said the Pentagon “will do what is necessary to ensure a safe conduct of their visit” if Pelosi does travel to Taiwan.

According to AP, the US already has enough forces spread around the Pacific region, and the Pentagon might eventually use them for additional protection during the trip. The news agency specifically named the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group, which made a port call in Singapore over the weekend, among such forces. The group includes the aircraft carrier itself, two other Navy ships, and Carrier Air Wing Five, consisting of F/A-18 fighters, helicopters and surveillance aircraft. The USS Benfold, a destroyer that passed through the Taiwan Strait last week, was named as well.

Pelosi, who had initially planned to travel to Taiwan in April but postponed her trip after contracting Covid-19, has not yet confirmed any new dates for the visit. If she does go ahead with the plan, she will become the highest-ranking US lawmaker to visit the island in 25 years. Newt Gingrich, who was also House speaker at the time, visited Taiwan in 1997.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×