“The timing seems rather ill-chosen”judge The evening. By landing in Taipei on Tuesday evening, shortly before 11 p.m., Nancy Pelosi took the risk “to inflame tensions between Beijing and Washington”at the very moment when “the American superpower is focused on the challenge posed to the world by Vladimir Putin” with the invasion of Ukraine.
But the elected Democrat, “reputedly indomitable” et “known for her firmness in the face of the Chinese regime”did not give in to intimidation from Beijing or the reluctance of the White House, which would have done well without this coup, observes The country.
Nancy Pelosi even drove the point home, in a column published by the Washington Post just as she arrived in Taiwan. “We cannot sit idly by as the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten Taiwan – and democracy itself”she wrote. “In fact, we are making this visit at a time when the world must make the choice between autocracy and democracy”.
“As Russia wages its premeditated and illegal war against Ukraine, killing thousands of innocent people – even children – it is essential that America and its allies make it clear that they will never back down to autocrats”she adds, before reaffirming the support “steadfast” from the United States to Taiwan.
“Historical provocation”
Minutes after Nancy Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan, China’s foreign minister slammed a “violation” of the diplomatic status quo in effect since 1979 between the United States and China. “Beijing considers the trip [de Pelosi] as a historical provocation of its greatest rival on the world geopolitical chessboard”Explain The world.
“In the midst of a new Cold War between the two superpowers, the Asian giant is convinced that the United States wants to break with its traditional ambiguous posture, which allows it to maintain relations with Taiwan, while recognizing the official position of Beijing”according to which there is only“One China”including Taiwan, adds the daily.
For the head of Chinese diplomacy, quoted by the South China Morning Post, “the United States is trying to ‘use Taiwan to control China’, constantly subverting and gutting the one-China principle, boosting Washington-Taiwan exchanges and ‘supporting separatist activities ‘” independentists.
“As the military staffs of both countries are on alert – Chinese and American aircraft carriers sailing towards the island – the question is what action China is prepared to consider to signal its displeasure”écrit Time. Car “Beijing has placed the question of Taiwan at the heart of its concerns for several years”.
military exercises
The answer was not long in coming: the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday evening several days of military exercises with “long range live ammunition” around the island. The Taiwanese camp assured for its part that “21 Chinese fighter jets entered the island’s air defense identification zone on Tuesday”reports CNN. “In response, the Taiwanese military deployed air defense missile systems”.
The Chinese drills are not expected to begin until Thursday, after Nancy Pelosi leaves the island, scheduled for Wednesday evening. According to observers, Beijing is waiting to see how Wednesday will unfold, and especially what publicity the elected Democrat intends to give to her stay and her discussions.
On Wednesday morning, she met with Taiwanese parliamentarians and the island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, who assured that in the face of “deliberately increased military threats” from Beijing, “Taiwan will not back down”. In the afternoon, Mrs. Pelosi must find pro-democracy activists “who are outspoken about China’s human rights record”according to Taipei Times.
The correspondent in China of the BBC believes that at this stage, “the centerpiece” of Beijing’s response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit should remain the series of military exercises around Taiwan. But the extent of the aggravation of regional tensions after this trip “will be hotly debated”he predicts, just like the possible deterrent power of these exercises for “senior American leaders who would like to come to Taiwan in the future”.