House Speaker Nancy Pelosi canceled her planned trip to Asia after she contracted COVID-19, but it also came after rumors spread about a plan for her to visit Taiwan, which provoked Chinese state media outlet Global Times to warn that a “destructive strike” on Taiwan may follow.
Pelosi was originally planned to visit Tokyo, Japan this weekend, and Japanese and Taiwanese media both reported that Pelosi “was also planning a visit to the self-ruled island” on Sunday, “in what would have been the first trip to Taiwan by a U.S. House speaker in 25 years.”
The Global Times appeared to take a victory lap after the announcement, pointing out that Pelosi is 82-years-old and urging the House Speaker and her “ilk” to “cure anti-China bigotry” instead.
Previously, the Global Times admonished the rumored Taiwan trip, which Pelosi’s office never confirmed, and argued that the United States should be “appeasing” China to prevent the repressive regime from amplifying its support for Russia.
“While the crisis in Ukraine is still ongoing, the US should be appeasing China in exchange for not increasing support for Russia,” the state media outlet argued. “In my opinion,” wrote the author, “if the Taiwanese media reports are true, China cannot back down this time, but must adopt appropriate and sufficient measures to respond and draw a clear bottom line for the US and Taiwan island.”
China has repeatedly refused to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, and has instead Beijing has strengthened its economic ties to Moscow since the beginning of the war.
Those “appropriate and sufficient measures” recommended by state media include a statement from the Chinese government demanding Pelosi abandon her plan, lest China “take stern action” to retake the island by force.
Further options include forcefully closing the airspace over Taiwan during Pelosi’s visit, including CCP planes flying across the breadth of the island.
In China, the People’s Liberation Army is not loyal to the government but to the Chinese Communist Party.
“If Taiwan’s forces open fire on our warplanes,” warned the state media outlet, “the PLA should shoot down Taiwan’s aircraft or carry out a destructive strike on Taiwan’s force bases from which the missiles are launched.”
“This will be a crisis that will cause great waves,” the author warned.
Fortunately, thanks to COVID-19, Pelosi will not have the option to visit Taiwan for some time.
