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“China delivered sterner warnings to U.S. officials about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's possible visit to Taiwan, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday… [The Financial Times] cited six people familiar with the Chinese warnings as saying they were significantly stronger than the threats that Beijing has made in the past when it was unhappy with U.S. actions or policy on Taiwan, which is claimed by China… The Financial Times reported last week that Pelosi plans to visit Taiwan in August…
“On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he plans to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping by the end of the month. Biden appeared to cast doubt on the reported Pelosi trip to Taiwan. ‘I think that the military thinks it's not a good idea right now, but I don't know what the status of it is,’ Biden told reporters.” Reuters
The right criticizes Biden for not providing more support to Pelosi.
“Rather than publicly backing Pelosi’s visit and making clear that the U.S. will not tolerate any form of intimidation or assault against the American people, Biden and his merry band of feckless officials have instead opted to bury their heads in the sand… [CNN is reporting that] Biden’s team believes ‘the Chinese leadership don’t completely grasp the political dynamics in the United States’ and ‘may be confusing Pelosi’s visit with an official administration visit, since she and Biden are both Democrats.’…
“The CCP not only comprehends current U.S. politics; they study it to their advantage. Every word, action, and policy initiated by America’s political leaders are under constant watch by CCP officials. And right now, they no doubt couldn’t be more thrilled with what they’re hearing come out of Biden’s mouth. Backing down in the face of intimidation and egging Pelosi to cancel her trip to Taiwan over worries about what China might do signals American weakness not just to CCP leadership, but to despotic regimes across the globe.”
Shawn Fleetwood, The Federalist
“While I understand the desire to avoid upping the confrontation with China, it seems to me that handing Xi a big win as he moves to become even more of a Maoist autocrat doesn’t take us farther away from a major conflict, it actually brings us closer. Because it’s Xi Jinping’s stated goal to achieve ‘reunification’ with Taiwan. And under Xi, China has become a belligerent bully both towards its own people and toward other nations… Under those circumstances, every time we back off from a confrontation China learns that all they have to do is act belligerent and they’ll get their way…
“The official policy of the US toward Taiwan is ‘strategic ambiguity’ which means China doesn’t know how we’ll react if they, for instance, launch an invasion or declare a no fly zone. That ambiguity is the only thing keeping China at bay. What we don’t want to do is remove the ambiguity by making it clear we’re willing to back down anytime they express displeasure with something we want to do… If we can’t even stand up to China over a relatively minor diplomatic visit, are we really going to stand up to China with military force?”
John Sexton, Hot Air
“Pelosi’s travel highlights why America needs a forthright debate on the fundamentals of our relationship with Taiwan. Biden himself said openly he supported U.S. military involvement in Taiwan’s defense (unlike in Ukraine), but, as so often, his advisers walked that comment back. But jettisoning ‘strategic ambiguity’ is not simply a legitimate viewpoint — it is now quite likely a near-consensus among serious analysts of American interests in the region. Integrating Taiwan into larger frameworks to constrain China makes sense not just for Taiwan but for other concerned neighbors such as Japan and South Korea…
“Washington should extend full diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. Doing so would be entirely consistent with the 1933 Montevideo Convention’s conditions for ‘statehood,’ all of which Taiwan meets: defined territory, stable population, functioning government, and the ability to carry out international affairs. The only reason not to act is that Beijing would be unhappy. Given China’s unacceptably belligerent conduct around its Indo-Pacific periphery for the last several decades, however, it is time to recognize reality: Taiwan is a legitimately independent state.”
John Bolton, Washington Examiner
The left hopes that Biden and Pelosi can de-escalate the situation without appearing to give in to China's demands.
The left hopes that Biden and Pelosi can de-escalate the situation without appearing to give in to China's demands.
"Ms. Pelosi not only has a right but an obligation to express solidarity with democratic Taiwan as she sees fit… [But] the short term is especially inopportune for Ms. Pelosi to visit Taiwan. The next couple of months will include such sensitive events as a phone call between Mr. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping; a gathering in early August [of] top Chinese communists, at which they will prepare for Mr. Xi’s likely reelection to a third term at the fall party Congress; and the National Congress itself…
“Additionally, China’s internal situation is particularly tense because of coronavirus-related lockdowns and widespread financial distress. Given the temptation for Mr. Xi to divert attention and bolster his own political standing by targeting Taiwan and the United States, it’s smart not to give him any excuses. All of the above argues for keeping Ms. Pelosi’s plans for a Taiwan trip flexible and discreet — which, to her credit, she has done — while waiting for the optimal moment to carry them out.”
Editorial Board, Washington Post
“The U.S. military is devising options for protecting Pelosi’s delegation, who — as is normal procedure for congressional delegations to Taiwan — would be flying on a military plane. The measures under consideration include moving aircraft carriers or sending fighter planes for close air support. That, in turn, could be misinterpreted by the Chinese side as an aggressive rather than a defensive measure. Key U.S. allies in Asia have expressed concerns about a visit that they believe will be viewed provocatively…
"There are risks to postponing as well. If Pelosi does delay the trip now (even though it has yet to be announced), Beijing could conclude that its strong-arm tactics have worked. China can’t be allowed to think it has a veto every time a congressional delegation wants to visit Taiwan…
"The best-case scenario would be for Pelosi and the Biden team to work out a compromise so that America can speak with one voice. For example, if Pelosi does delay, she could send other lawmakers in her place and promise to visit in a few months, to save face and ensure no bad precedent is set. But if Pelosi goes ahead and visits Taiwan next month, the governments in Washington, Beijing and Taipei will just have to accept it.”
Josh Rogin, Washington Post
“As president, Biden has sparked controversy by describing ‘the commitment we made’ to defend Taiwan if China were to attack it, although US policy holds out no such commitment. Biden’s persistent unscripted comments on this have led many to speculate that he’s changing policy…
“Bonnie Glaser, who directs the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund think tank in Washington, argues that the US and the world needs clarity from the Biden administration about how it sees the US-Taiwan relationship, so that the president’s unscripted remarks don’t inadvertently come to define policy. Without doing so, and as Pelosi is poised to travel, it risks adding new dangers to what she describes as toxic US-China relations…
“For now, Pelosi finds herself in a predicament. Canceling the visit to Taiwan would make the US look weak and China triumphant, while going could be reckless. The face-saving deescalation for Pelosi may be to postpone the visit till after the Party Congress.”
Jonathan Guyer, Vox
