Taiwan's president struck a defiant tone on Wednesday as she hosted US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a furious China gearing up for military exercises dangerously close to the island's shores in retaliation for the visit.
The Taiwan visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has sent tensions soaring between Washington and BeijingTAIPEI - Taiwan's president struck a defiant tone Wednesday as she hosted US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a furious China gearing up for military exercises dangerously close to the island's shores in retaliation for the visit.
"Facing deliberately heightened military threats, Taiwan will not back down. We will... continue to hold the line of defence for democracy," Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said at an event with Pelosi in Taipei. Pelosi, second in line to the presidency, is the highest-profile elected US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
While the White House is understood to be opposed to Pelosi's Taiwan stop, its National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said she was entitled to go where she pleased.After Pelosi touched down Tuesday night in a military aircraft after days of feverish speculation about her plans, the Chinese foreign ministry summoned US Ambassador Nicholas Burns.
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