Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday. This is the second leg of his Asian tour which is likely to raise tensions between…

Nancy Pelosi arrives in Malaysia and maintains the blur on a stage in Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives with Malaysian Speaker of Parliament Azhar Azizan Harun on August 2, 2022 in Kuala Lumpur.

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday.

It is the second leg of his Asian tour which is likely to raise tensions between China and the United States due to an unconfirmed but increasingly likely visit to Taiwan.

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Nancy Pelosi landed at a Malaysian air base on Tuesday morning before meeting the prime minister and the speaker of the lower house of parliament, state news agency Bernama reported.

After Singapore and Malaysia, his itinerary includes stops in South Korea and Japan.

The vagueness is knowingly maintained

around a possible visit to Taiwan.

Several titles of the international press, however, say that a visit is well planned, the Financial Times referring to a meeting between Ms. Pelosi and the president of Taiwan on Wednesday.

If the White House is embarrassed by the situation, John Kirby, its spokesman, said Monday that Ms. Pelosi had "

the right to visit Taiwan

There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit, consistent with longstanding US policy, into some kind of crisis or conflict.

Or to use it as a pretext to strengthen its military activity around or in the Taiwan Strait.

White House spokesman John Kirby on Nancy Pelosi's possible visit to Taiwan

Guillaume Naudin

Although most observers rate the likelihood of an armed conflict as low, US officials have said they are preparing for possible displays of force by the Chinese military, such as missile strikes in the Taiwan Straits or massive air raids. around the island.

The United States practices a so-called “

strategic ambiguity

” diplomacy with regard to Taiwan , consisting in recognizing only one Chinese government, that of Beijing, while continuing to provide decisive support to Taipei, but in s refraining from saying whether or not they would defend the island militarily in the event of an invasion.

Beijing considers the island as part of its territory to be reunified, by force if necessary, and has repeatedly warned Washington against a visit by the senior official which would be experienced as a major provocation.

The Taiwanese government for its part refrained from commenting on a visit by Nancy Pelosi.

Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang did not confirm the visit Tuesday when asked by reporters, but thanked Nancy Pelosi for her support.

Taiwanese newspaper Liberty Times quoted unnamed sources as saying Nancy Pelosi would land on the island on Tuesday evening and meet Tsai Ing-wen the following day before departing again in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it was "

determined

" to protect the island against threats from China.

You know, China has been threatening us for 75 years...and this isn't the first time Beijing has flexed its muscles, so no, it doesn't worry me that much.

And anyway, there is not much we can do!

I have the impression that we are caught in spite of ourselves in this rivalry between two powers.

What Taiwanese think of a possible Nancy Pelosi visit

Adrien Simore

Beijing is threatening

Last week, during

a telephone conversation

with the American president, Xi Jinping called on the United States not to "

play with fire

As we see it, such a visit seems very dangerous and very provocative

," Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun said at a press conference.

To support their message, the Chinese military released a video on the internet on Monday with a martial tone.

Soldiers are shouting that they are ready for battle, fighters are taking off, paratroopers are jumping out of a plane, and a hail of missiles is annihilating various targets there.

On Tuesday, the hypothesis of an imminent visit by the senior American official sent Asian stock markets plummeting.

Investors worried about escalating risks with China.

►Also listen: International guest - "A visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan would be a first in 25 years"

Nancy Pelosi arrives in Malaysia and maintains the blur on a stage in Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi arrives in Malaysia and maintains the blur on a stage in Taiwan

Beijing is threatening

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