Taiwan suspense as Pelosi in Asia

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi was to start a tour of four Asian countries yesterday, her office said, without mentioning the Chinese island of Taiwan.

“Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading a Congressional delegation to the IndoPacific region, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan,” her office said in a press release.

It said the visit would include those countries, but did not specify whether Pelosi, who is No. 3 in the line of presidential succession, might make other stops.

Chinese air force spokesman Shen Jinke was quoted as saying yesterday that Beijing will “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Shen said at a military airshow that the air force has many types of fighter jets capable of circling “the precious island of our motherland.” The “air force has the firm will, full confidence and sufficient capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

A People’s Liberation Army unit said on Weibo on Friday: “Prepare for war!”

Prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin said on Saturday he deleted a tweet warning of military retaliation should US fighter jets escort Pelosi on a Taiwan visit, after Twitter blocked his account.

The Financial Times last week reported Pelosi would lead a delegation to Taiwan in August, citing sources. The possible trip, which would make her the most senior US lawmaker to visit the island since 1997, has sparked a furious reaction in China and raised wide concerns about the possibility of worsening China-US relations.