China cannot stop U.S. officials from visiting Taiwan: Pelosi

The U.S. House Speaker made the remarks in Tokyo, the final leg of an Asia tour highlighted by a visit to Taiwan that infuriated China.

The U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday, August 5, 2022, that China will not isolate Taiwan by preventing US officials from travelling there.

She made the remarks in Tokyo, the final leg of an Asia tour highlighted by a visit to Taiwan that infuriated China.

Ms. Pelosi, the first House speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years, said Wednesday in Taipei that the US commitment to democracy in the self-governing island and elsewhere “remains ironclad”.

Ms. Pelosi and five other members of Congress arrived in Tokyo late Thursday after visiting Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea.

China, which claims Taiwan and has threatened to annex it by force if necessary, called her visit to the island a provocation and on Thursday began military drills, including missile firing, in six zones surrounding Taiwan. 

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday, August 5, 2022, that China's military exercises aimed at Taiwan represent a “grave problem” that threatens regional peace and security after five ballistic missiles launched as part of the drills landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Mr. Kishida, speaking after breakfast with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her congressional delegation, said the missile launches need to be “stopped immediately”.