London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

US Speaker Pelosi arrives in Taiwan, defying Beijing’s warnings

"Visit ‘honours America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant democracy’, Pelosi twitted. Beijing condemns Pelosi’s Taiwan trip, calls it a ‘serious violation’ of policy .

Beijing responds by announcing that live ammunition military drills will take place around the island from Thursday until Sunday.

Qin Gang, China’s ambassador to the US, says Pelosi’s visit will escalate tensions both across the Taiwan Strait and between Beijing and Washington. ‘US and separatist forces will be responsible for any consequences caused by this,’ according to a 1,143-word statement by Chinese officials.

“US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has gone ahead with her visit to Taiwan disregarding China’s repeated opposition. The move has been a serious violation of the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques, a serious undermining of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a serious crush of political foundation of China-US relations, and sent a seriously wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” the statement said.

“China firmly opposes this and strongly condemns this, and has lodged serious representation with the US side.”

“China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend the country’s sovereignty and territory. The US and separatist forces will be responsible for any consequences caused by this,” it said.

The statement repeated Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s latest warning to US President Joe Biden in a phone call on Thursday that anyone who “plays with fire” on the Taiwan matter “will get burnt”.

In the meantime, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced the beginning of joint military exercises off Taiwan as retaliation to Pelosi’s visit. The PLA statement blamed Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which President Tsai Ing-wen represents, for colluding with foreign forces and “insisting” on inviting Pelosi to the island.

China’s foreign ministry said it has summoned US Ambassador Nicholas Burns to “sternly express opposition” to Pelosi’s visit.

“The US government should have restrained Pelosi’s reckless actions and stopped her from going against the tides instead of acting in collusion and condoning her, escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait and damaging China-US relations,” state broadcaster CCTV quoted vice foreign minister Xie Feng as saying.

The blitz of responses by Beijing included an appearance on CNN by China’s ambassador to the US, Qin Gang, who said Pelosi’s trip would escalate tensions both across the Taiwan Strait and between Beijing and Washington.

“Nancy Pelosi is not a person in the street,” said Qin. “As speaker [she] is No 3 in the US government. So her visit in whatever form and at whatever time during her tenure carries high political sensitivities.”

Qin did not respond to questions about the live-fire drills, but said it was the PLA’s duty “to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“We will take whatever [measures] we can to respond and to protect, to safeguard our sovereignty [and] territorial integrity, and our response will be very full, strong and forceful,” he said.

Pelosi explains her Taiwan trip as vital to defense of democracy, freedom.


Moments after the US speaker of the House lands in Taipei, The Washington Post publishes an essay in which she outlines the reasons for her visit.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said her trip to Taiwan is a signal to the world that Washington stands with the self-governed island’s “vibrant, robust” democracy and has a “sacred vow” to support its defense amid growing threats from Beijing.

“In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s accelerating aggression, our congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as an unequivocal statement that America stands with Taiwan, our democratic partner, as it defends itself and its freedom,” she wrote in an essay published in The Washington Post moments after she landed in Taipei on Tuesday, her first public comments outlining her reasons for the trip.

“We cannot stand by as the CCP proceeds to threaten Taiwan – and democracy itself,” she said. “By traveling to Taiwan, we honor our commitment to democracy: reaffirming that the freedoms of Taiwan – and all democracies – must be respected.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×