China says it 'firmly opposes' any plans for Pelosi to visit Taiwan next month. She'd be the highest-ranking US official to visit in decades.
Business InsiderDec 27, 2022
US Military: Planning Underway for Pelosi's Potential Taiwan Visit
Image copyright: Getty Images [via Insider]
The Facts
US officials have said that if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visits Taiwan, the military would increase its movements of forces and assets in the Indo-Pacific region, including using fighter jets, ships, and other military assets to safeguard her flight to Taiwan and any ground time spent on the island.
It's not abnormal for senior leaders traveling overseas to have additional safety measures in place, but officials say that Pelosi would receive more security than usual. If her trip is confirmed, Pelosi would be the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
If Pelosi's visit to Taiwan eventually happens, it would not be a miscalculation but an intentional provocation by the US. The US does not formally have any diplomatic relations with Taipei, but they do have formal diplomatic relations with China, and a visit to Taiwan would contradict the One China Policy and threaten PRC sovereignty.
Anti-China narrative
As a global champion of democracy and human rights, it is only right that the US should support Taiwan and its democratic government. Any tension or military conflict caused by a visit by Speaker Pelosi to the island would be an outlandish escalation on China's part.
Metaculus Prediction
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