[Exclusive] "I cannot give the decision to visit Xi Jinping"

<Anchor>

Following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, US lawmakers recently visited Taiwan.

Then, as China began military exercises, tensions are rising again.

Why do US politicians continue to go to Taiwan? We interviewed Chairman Pelosi and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, who toured Asia together, exclusively.

Reporter Kim Soo-hyung's report will be read first, and then the story will continue.

<Reporter>

This is a video released by the Chinese military saying that it is a military aircraft flying over the straits near Taiwan. 

12 days after House Speaker Pelosi's visit, the Chinese military resumed military exercises in the Taiwan Strait when US and opposition lawmakers visited Taiwan.

[Wang Won-bin / Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: China has taken firm measures to protect national sovereignty and territory against the secessionist separatist forces of Taiwan.]

Gregory Micks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who accompanied Pelosi's Asian tour, said in an interview with SBS. He said he would not be discouraged by the Chinese threat, and that the delegation's visit to Taiwan would continue. 

[Gregory Meeks/Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: I will not let President Xi Jinping force us to do what we do.

We will continue to make sure that Taiwan is our partner through things like our visit to Taiwan.]

China cannot stand by its attempts to change the status quo of a free-travelable Taiwan by force. 

[Gregory Meeks/Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee: We seek to maintain the status quo.

China is attempting to change the status quo with provocative actions.]

He emphasized that the decision-making power rests with the Korean people as to China's claim that it operates limited deployments in addition to the $3 THAAD.

[Gregory Mix/Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee: (What do you think of China's move to restrict South Korea's operation of THAAD?) I believe that the THAAD system is decided by the Korean people, not by Beijing.

] He said that China should be the first to stop the North Korean threat. 

[Gregory Mix/Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: China must use its influence to stop North Korea from continuing to threaten South Korea

] I drew a line saying that there was no problem with it.

[Gregory Meeks/Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: I had no problem at all.

We were very welcomed in Korea in a warm atmosphere.

People who come to the United States also want to meet President Biden, but sometimes the schedule does not fit.]

(Video coverage: Kim Yong-woo, Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)

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<Anchor>

Reporter Kim Soo-hyung is here.

[Reporter Kim Soo-hyung: I think it can be viewed in two ways.

Most of all, the US legislature will take the lead and visit Taiwan to make it clear that Taiwan is a place where you can travel freely.

The US believes that China is trying to isolate Taiwan.

The U.S. plans to show free navigation possible by allowing warships and military aircraft to pass through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks.

Second, it is interpreted that there is an internal political purpose to highlight the image of defending liberal democracy ahead of the US midterm elections in November.

It is intended to show that China does not give in to lawmakers' coercive attitudes to not come.]

[Reporter Kim Soo-hyung: The United States postponed the scheduled launch of the Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile, stating that it would not increase the level of tension when China began military exercises following Chairman Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

The U.S. Air Force announced on the 16th that it had flew Minute Man 3 equipped with an atmospheric re-entry vehicle from California Air Force Base to the Marshall Islands in the Pacific, 6,800 kilometers away.

It is analyzed that while controlling the level of tension, it also sent a warning message to China.]