The White House on Monday warned China against overreacting to a trip by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, saying she would have every right to visit the self-ruled island despite Beijing viewing it as a highly provocative challenge.
China need not turn any visit by Pelosi into a "crisis," White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters, even as he warned that Beijing may be "positioning" itself for a show of military strength around the island.
While the White House and State Department are both understood to be opposed to Pelosi's trip, Kirby made it clear that the speaker - who is second in line to the US presidency - was entitled to go where she pleased. Pelosi kicked her trip off Monday with a stop in Singapore, where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged her at a meeting to strive for "stable" ties with Beijing.
However, he sought to lower tension by stressing several times that US policy was unchanged toward Taiwan. This means support for its self-ruling government, while diplomatically recognising Beijing over Taipei and opposing either a full independence bid by Taiwan or a forceful takeover by China.Kirby confirmed that Pelosi is traveling on a military aircraft and said Washington does not fear a direct attack but warned it "raises the stakes of a miscalculation.
China's ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Hun labelled such a visit "very much dangerous, very much provocative" as he spoke to reporters Monday. "If she dares to stop in Taiwan, it will be the moment to ignite the powder keg of the situation in the Taiwan Straits," Hu Xijin, a former Global Times editor and now commentator, tweeted.
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