JAKARTA - China condemned Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan as a threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as the US House speaker set foot in Taipei late Tuesday, citing the United States' commitment to the island claimed by Beijing.
"Our congressional delegation's visit to Taiwan honors America's steadfast commitment to supporting Taiwan's vibrant democracy," Pelosi said in a statement shortly after landing.
"America's solidarity with Taiwan's 23 million people is more important today than ever, as the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy."
Pelosi is currently on an Asia tour that includes an announced visit to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. Her visit to Taiwan was unannounced but widely anticipated.
“We cannot stand idly by when the CCP threatens Taiwan – and democracy itself,” Pelosi said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.
Pelosi also cited China's "brutal crackdown" on political dissent in Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities, which the United States considers genocide.
Her arrival sparked an angry response from China at a time when international tensions were already heightened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. The United States warned China against using the visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen will meet with Pelosi on Wednesday morning and then have lunch together, the presidential office said. Pelosi, traveling with six other American lawmakers, became the most senior US political leader to visit Taiwan since 1997.
On Tuesday night, Taiwan's tallest building, Taipei 101, lit up with messages including: "Welcome to Taiwan", "Pelosi speakers" and "Taiwan (heart) USA".
Separately, China's foreign ministry said it had lodged a strong protest with the United States, saying Pelosi's visit severely damaged peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, "had a severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations, and seriously violated China's sovereignty and territory."
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Chinese warplanes buzzed across the line dividing the Taiwan Strait before her arrival. China's military has been on high alert and will launch a "targeted military operation" in response to Pelosi's visit, the defense ministry said.
China's military announced joint air and sea drills near Taiwan from Tuesday evening and tested launches of conventional missiles in the sea east of Taiwan, with China's state news agency Xinhua describing live-fire drills and other drills around Taiwan from Thursday to Sunday.
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