By Jonathan Colon
The world watches as US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi begins her tour of countries in Asia. From the list released by her staff, the country that is not on that list is causing the most buzz. This country is Taiwan. While, this country is not officially recognized as an independent nation, the United States of America is bound by law to provide a means for the island to defend itself. China has long claimed that Taiwan belongs to China, and this sentiment is only reinforced by the countries one-China policy. The same policy that President Xi Jinping warned President Joe Biden about. As if this wasn’t enough, China has also began ramping up it’s military exercises. Some taking place as close as 62 miles (100 Kilometers) from the island’s shores. The United States, like many countries, is also known for it’s strategically placed military exercises, and it also thought it was a great time to send the aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Regan to the South China Sea, along with it’s strike group. President Joe Biden has since repeatedly reassured China that the representees of the United States will make no such trip to Taiwan during this trip.
Where will Nancy Pelosi visit? She is reportedly going to visit Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. Could there be more stops along the way? Anything is possible, but stir the proverbial pot during a midterm election year where her party is seen as the underdog? That makes it seem rather unlikely, for now. What we do know is that we can expect much of the same during this trip. Speeches geared towards democracy, economics, and security in this region of the world, along with it’s importance and potential global impact. So grab another cup of coffee and sit back while the wheels of time continue to turn.
Commentary on an article written by Yew Lun Tian on Reuters.