Pelosi’s Asia tour kicks off under Taiwan cloud
SINGAPORE (AFP) – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday kicked off an Asia tour that has been shrouded in secrecy following an escalation in tensions with China over Taiwan.
With no word yet if Pelosi will make a stop on the island, she stopped first in Singapore, where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged her at a meeting to strive for “stable” ties with Beijing.
Her Asia itinerary also includes Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but a possible Taiwan visit has dominated attention in the run-up.
Reports about a plan to visit the island have enraged Beijing and caused unease even in the White House, with US President Joe Biden trying to lower the temperature with China.
Beijing considers selfruled Taiwan its territory – to be seized one day, by force if necessary – and said it would regard a visit by Pelosi as a major provocation.