Nancy Pelosi criticizes Xi Jinping’s dictatorship

“America has made a bedrock promise to always stand with Taiwan. We will not back down,” Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said during a meeting with President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday in Taiwan. She made clear her opposition to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attempt to absorb Taiwan for its unification with China. Meanwhile, China, which will begin its first military training to practically blockade Taiwan for three days from Thursday, said the pursuit of Taiwanese independence dependent on the U.S. is a path to death. As conflicts between the U.S. and China worsened regarding China’s unification with Taiwan, which is considered a sovereign right and key interest by China, the two countries entered the irreversible era of a new military cold war regarding Taiwan.

“Some 43 years ago, the United States Congress overwhelmingly passed the Taiwan Relations Act to always stand with Taiwan,” Speaker Pelosi said in a press conference after her meeting with the Taiwanese president on Wednesday. “America's determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad.” ‘Ironclad’ is the word used by the U.S. to emphasize its determination to defend its key Asian allies, such as South Korea and Japan. Followed by U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement that the U.S. will intervene if China invades Taiwan on three occasions, Speaker Pelosi also emphasized the Taiwan Relations Act, which allows the U.S.’s intervention in case of emergency, such as China’s invasion of Taiwan.

“Since then, Beijing’s abysmal human rights record and disregard for the rule of law continue, as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on power,” Pelosi wrote in her contribution to the Washington Post, which was published right after her arrival in Taiwan on Tuesday, sharply criticizing Xi.

“The U.S. should not have an illusion about interfering with China’s great work of unification. Attempts to destroy China’s peaceful rising are completely useless,” Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday. “It will lead to the head broken and blood flowing,” he raised his voice.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced that it would conduct military training, such as firing with live ammunition, in six locations in the waters surrounding Taiwan from Thursday through Sunday. One of the locations is just 20 kilometers away from Taiwan’s second largest city Kaohsiung. Taiwan will be practically isolated as China prohibits ships and airplanes from entering the training region. “The training waters include our exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” said Japan. “We expressed our concern to China.”


weappon@donga.com