WASHINGTON — The White House tried on Monday to lower tensions over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's expected visit to Taiwan, which China has already said would be considered a serious provocation.
FILE - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at the Capitol in Washington, July 21, 2022. U.S. officials say they have little fear that China would attack Pelosi’s plane if she flies to Taiwan. But the House Speaker would be entering one of the world’s hottest spots where a mishap, misstep or misunderstanding could endanger her safety.
Beijing sees the self-governing island’s independence movement as a threat, one it could potentially answer with military force, although Taiwan has not yet taken the step of formally declaring independence from its vastly more powerful neighbor. Pelosi had initially planned to visit Taiwan in April, but a coronavirus infection scuttled those plans. She is now expected to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday.
“We will not take the bait or engage in saber-rattling,” Kirby said. “There is no reason it should spark some sort of conflict,” he added of the speaker’s visit at another point during Monday’s briefing.
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