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According to Malaysian state media, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, her second destination on an Asian tour that has caused outrage in Beijing over a probable visit in Taiwan.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be its territory and has repeatedly warned that the visit would be viewed as a significant provocation.
According to state news agency Bernama, Pelosi arrived at a Malaysian air force base ahead of discussions with the prime minister and the speaker of the lower house of parliament.
Her itinerary after Singapore and Malaysia includes trips in South Korea and Japan, but the idea of a visit to Taiwan has dominated speculation.
While President Joe Biden’s administration is thought to be opposed to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said she was free to go wherever she wanted.
He told reporters, “The speaker has the right to visit Taiwan.”
“There is no reason for Beijing to turn a likely visit in line with long-standing US policies into a crisis.”
Kirby added that intelligence showed China was considering military provocations such as missile launches over the Taiwan Strait or “large-scale” incursions into Taiwanese airspace.
He added that Pelosi was flying on a military plane, and that while Washington did not anticipate a direct strike, it “raises the risks of a miscalculation.”
However, Kirby underlined that the US stance toward Taiwan remained unaltered.
This implies backing its self-ruling government while diplomatically favouring Beijing over Taipei and opposing a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or a violent takeover by China.
The Taiwanese government has been mute about the possibility of a Pelosi visit.
When queried by reporters on Tuesday, Premier Su Tseng-chang did not confirm the visit, but praised Pelosi for her support.
According to Taiwanese publication Liberty Times, Pelosi would arrive to the island Tuesday night, meet Tsai the next day, and leave in the afternoon, citing unknown sources.
China has issued another another warning.
Taiwan’s 23 million people have long faced the prospect of invasion, but the threat has grown more serious under Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During a phone chat with Biden last week, Xi warned the US against “playing with fire” on Taiwan.
On Monday, China’s UN envoy, Zhang Hun, said such a visit would be “extremely risky, highly provocative.”
If this occurs, “China will take clear and robust measures to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated.
American leaders frequently pay clandestine visits to the island to demonstrate their support, but a Pelosi visit would be more public than any in recent memory.
