Hong Kong () — US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several other members of Congress are visiting Singapore on Monday, their first official stop on a high-profile tour of Asia that has drawn international attention over speculation. that US policy could visit Taiwan.
The delegation’s two-day visit to Singapore will include meetings with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, along with several cabinet ministers, according to the Singapore Foreign Ministry.
Pelosi is also expected to attend a cocktail party hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in the city-state on Monday afternoon.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Before reaching the Indo-Pacific, Pelosi’s delegation passed through Hawaii, according to a statement from her office on Sunday.
The delegation also plans to visit Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, where high-level meetings will be held to address “shared interests” including trade, the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, according to Pelosi’s office.
The statement did not mention Taiwan.
There has been speculation for weeks that Pelosi, who is second in the US presidential line of succession behind the vice president, could be planning to visit the self-governing democratic island.
China’s Communist Party, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory even though it has never controlled it, has repeatedly warned against visiting the island and vowed to take “firm and forceful measures” if the trip goes ahead.
Some US officials worry that the possible visit will be met with a military response from China, which could trigger the worst crisis between China and the United States in decades.
During a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last Thursday, Xi warned Washington not to “play with fire” on the Taiwan issue, although neither side confirmed whether Pelosi’s plans were discussed. Preparations for the call preceded reports of the possible trip.
When asked about Pelosi’s possible visit on Monday, Taiwanese Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang would not confirm whether she would stop there, reiterating that Taipei welcomes foreign guests. “The government warmly welcomes any foreign VIP friends visiting our country,” Su told reporters.
Traveling with Pelosi as part of the congressional delegation are Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Mark Takano, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs; Congresswoman Suzan DelBene; Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Congressman Andy Kim.
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