# Pelosi praises Taiwan, says Asian trip wasn’t to change status quo
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-05
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Pelosi praises Taiwan amid China tensions
Meta Description: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lauds Taiwan's democracy, human rights, and economic success during a visit to Asia, leading to anger and military drills by
URL: https://financedigest.com/pelosi-praises-taiwan-says-asian-trip-wasnt-to-change-status-quohtml

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By Sakura Murakami and Kiyoshi Takenaka

TOKYO (Reuters) -U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy [Pelosi on Friday praised Taiwan](https://www.financedigest.com/companies-in-china-distance-themselves-from-taiwan-amid-pelosi-backlash.html "Companies in China distance themselves from Taiwan amid Pelosi backlash"), pledged U.S. solidarity and said her trip through Asia, which led to unprecedented [military drills by an angry China](https://www.financedigest.com/chinas-biggest-air-show-to-display-self-sufficiency-drive-military-prowess.html "China’s biggest air show to display self-sufficiency drive, military prowess"), was never about changing the regional status quo.

Pelosi and a congressional delegation were in Japan on the last stage of an Asian [trip that included a brief and unannounced stop in Taiwan](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-parliament-committee-chair-says-she-talked-defence-cooperation-on-taiwan-trip.html "UK parliament committee chair says she talked defence cooperation on Taiwan trip"), the self-ruled island that Beijing considers its own – and prompted an infuriated Beijing to hold live-fire drills in waters around Taiwan, with five missiles landing in Japan’s exclusive economic zone(EEZ).

Her stop in Taiwan, the highest-level visit by a U.S. official in 25 years, came as Tokyo, one of Washington’s closest allies, has become increasingly alarmed about China’s [growing might in the Indo-Pacific and the possibility that Beijing](https://www.financedigest.com/can-beijing-decouple-its-reopening-from-growing-inflation-in-2023.html "Can Beijing Decouple Its Reopening From Growing Inflation in 2023?") could take military action against Taiwan.

We have said from the start that our representation here is not about changing the status quo in Taiwan or the region,” she told a news conference after meeting with Japanese [Prime Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/liz-truss-resigns-after-six-weeks-as-uk-prime-minister.html "Liz Truss resigns after six weeks as UK prime minister") Fumio Kishida.

The [Chinese government](https://www.financedigest.com/chinese-love-affair-with-manchester-property-to-strengthen-as-government-welcomes-new-investment.html "Chinese love affair with Manchester property to strengthen as government welcomes new investment") is not pleased that our friendship with Taiwan is a strong one,” she added.

It is bipartisan in the House and in the Senate, overwhelming [support for peace and the status quo in Taiwan.”](https://www.financedigest.com/taiwans-president-looks-forward-to-britain-supporting-its-cptpp-bid.html "Taiwan’s President looks forward to Britain supporting its CPTPP bid")

China has condemned Pelosi’s trip, which took the delegation to Singapore, Malaysia and [South Korea as well as Taiwan and Japan](https://www.financedigest.com/south-korea-seeks-to-kickstart-talks-to-resolve-historical-feuds-with-japan.html "South Korea seeks to kickstart talks to resolve historical feuds with Japan").

Its state broadcaster said the military exercises, which began on Thursday – the day after Pelosi left Taiwan – and are [set to end](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-set-to-end-turbulent-2022-modestly-higher.html "Oil set to end turbulent 2022 modestly higher") on Sunday, would be the largest conducted by China in the Taiwan Strait. The exercises have involved [live fire](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-sunak-under-fire-over-cost-of-living-defends-his-tax-cut-plans.html "UK’s Sunak, under fire over cost of living, defends his tax cut plans") on the waters and in the airspace around the island.

Japan said that five of nine [missiles fired](https://www.financedigest.com/s-korea-calls-for-talks-as-n-korea-test-fires-missiles.html "S.Korea calls for talks as N.Korea test fires missiles") towards its territory landed in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Tokyo lodged a diplomatic protest over the incident, which [Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi termed](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-fearing-war-in-xis-next-term-taiwan-bolsters-defences-2.html "Analysis-Fearing war in Xi’s next term, Taiwan bolsters defences") “unprecedented.

Pelosi lauded Taiwan’s democracy, economic successes and – in a veiled dig at [China – its human rights record](https://www.financedigest.com/china-records-worlds-first-human-death-from-h3n8-bird-flu-who.html "China records world’s first human death from H3N8 bird flu -WHO"), noting support by Taiwan, the first Asian government to allow same-sex marriage, for LGBTQ rights.

The fact is, I have said it again and again, if we do not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral [authority to speak](https://www.financedigest.com/european-authorities-guidance-on-the-sca-enforcement-moratorium-speaks-volumes.html "European authorities’ guidance on the SCA enforcement moratorium speaks volumes") out about human rights any place in the world,” she said.

[“China has some contradictions – some progress in terms of lifting](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-slips-yuan-gains-on-china-pmi-hot-inflation-lifts-euro.html "Dollar slips, yuan gains on China PMI; hot inflation lifts euro") people up, some horrible things happening in terms of the Uyghurs. In fact, it’s been labelled a genocide.”

Human rights groups accuse Beijing of abuse against Xinjiang’s Uyghur ethnic group, accusations [China rejects](https://www.financedigest.com/ftse-100-rebounds-on-china-optimism-thg-surges-after-rejecting-buyout-bid.html "FTSE 100 rebounds on China optimism; THG surges after rejecting buyout bid").

Delegation member [House Foreign Affairs Committee chair](https://www.financedigest.com/us-house-committee-chair-concerned-by-tesla-deals-in-china.html "US House committee chair ‘concerned’ by Tesla deals in China") Gregory Meeks was even blunter.

“They surely don’t want us to continue to talk about what’s happening in Xinjiang (with) the Uyghurs,” he said.

“We’re going to speak up and speak out for human rights, human dignity, and democratic process. That’s what this trip was all about.”

Pelosi left Japan to [return to the United States on Friday](https://www.financedigest.com/lockdown-2020-black-friday-how-to-maximise-return.html "Lockdown 2020 Black Friday – How to maximise return") afternoon.

WORRIED ALLY, MAINTAINING PEACE

Earlier, Pelosi met with Kishida, who said afterwards that they would work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, a [key shipping route – a view](https://www.financedigest.com/publishers-and-brands-view-commerce-content-as-a-key-revenue-driver.html "Publishers and Brands View Commerce Content as a Key Revenue Driver") echoed by U.S. ambassador Rahm Emanuel.

“It is clear that the U.S.-Japan Alliance will stand strong, shoulder-to-shoulder, to defend our [interests and our values,” he said in a statement](https://www.financedigest.com/spring-statement-should-businesses-be-preparing-for-interest-rate-rises.html "Spring Statement: Should businesses be preparing for interest rate rises?").

Japan, whose southernmost islands are closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, has [warned that Chinese](https://www.financedigest.com/chinese-fret-over-elderly-as-who-warns-of-holiday-covid-surge.html "Chinese fret over elderly as WHO warns of holiday COVID surge") intimidation of Taiwan is an escalating national security threat.

Tensions between Japan and China also ramped up a notch on Thursday when China announced that a meeting between the two nations’ foreign ministers, set to take place on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Cambodia, had been called off due to its displeasure with a G7 statement [urging Beijing](https://www.financedigest.com/in-beijing-spanish-pm-urges-xi-to-speak-with-ukraines-zelenskiy.html "In Beijing, Spanish PM urges Xi to speak with Ukraine’s Zelenskiy") to resolve the tension over Taiwan peacefully.

[China summoned the Japanese ambassador in Beijing to lodge stern representations](https://www.financedigest.com/china-lodges-representations-over-alleged-harassment-at-manchester-consulate.html "China lodges representations over alleged harassment at Manchester consulate") over its participation in the “erroneous” G7 statement, its foreign ministry said on Friday.

While visiting Japan in May, U.S. President Joe [Biden said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-begins-fifth-call-with-chinas-xi-looking-to-tamp-down-taiwan-tension.html "Biden begins fifth call with China’s Xi, looking to tamp down Taiwan tension") – a comment that appeared to stretch the limits of the U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity” towards the island.

Kishida’s [ruling Liberal Democratic Party](https://www.financedigest.com/japans-ruling-party-is-set-for-likely-bruising-in-weekend-election.html "Japan’s ruling party is set for likely bruising in weekend election") (LDP) has also pledged to double military spending to 2% of GDP.

(Additional [reporting by Elaine Lies](https://www.financedigest.com/lies-damned-lies-and-seo-statistics-what-should-seo-be-reporting-to-the-board.html "Lies, damned lies and SEO statistics – what should SEO be reporting to the board?"), Mariko Katsumura and Kentaro Sugiyama; writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by David Dolan, Stephen Coates & Simon Cameron-Moore)


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