House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) arrived with her Congressional delegation in Singapore early Monday morning to begin her visit to the Indo-Pacific region. Her delegation includes U.S. Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Mark Takano (D-CA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
Pelosi and her delegation met with Singapore President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and several Cabinet ministers.
Her visit included no media access, but the house speaker posted updates of her visit on Twitter throughout the day on Monday.
First, Pelosi tweeted an update following a visit with Marines at the U.S. Embassy.
“It was our honor to bring the gratitude of the Congress to our patriots in uniform selflessly serving our nation overseas,” Pelosi said.
One of our delegation’s first stops in Singapore was to greet our U.S. Marine Detachment at @RedWhiteBlueDot.
It was our honor to bring the gratitude of the Congress to our patriots in uniform selflessly serving our nation overseas. pic.twitter.com/mIU93buIjE
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 1, 2022
Pelosi then shared a photo from her visit with President Yacob.
“Our delegation expressed thanks for Singapore’s hospitality in hosting our Navy sailors & civilian mariners, and we discussed how our nations can continue advancing a free, open Indo-Pacific,” she tweeted.
Honored to be received at the Istana by the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob.
Our delegation expressed thanks for Singapore's hospitality in hosting our Navy sailors & civilian mariners, and we discussed how our nations can continue advancing a free, open Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/HFkZ6pbiNB
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 1, 2022
Pelosi met with Prime Minister Lee next, and the two “discussed [the] nations’ shared commitment to a rules-based international order, as we together promote security, prosperity and democracy in the Indo-Pacific & in the world.”
In addition to Singapore, Pelosi will visit Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. The trip will center on “mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance” in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a press release from the house speaker’s office.
“In Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, our delegation will hold high-level meetings to discuss how we can further advance our shared interests and values, including peace and security, economic growth and trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, human rights and democratic governance,” she said in the release.
Her itinerary does not mention a visit to the self-ruling island of Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. However, local media in Taiwan is reporting that Pelosi will arrive there Tuesday night.
Her visit would make her the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit in more than 25 years.
The United Daily News, Liberty Times, and China Times, Taiwan’s three most prominent national newspapers, cited unidentified sources saying she would arrive in Taipei after visiting Malaysia and spend a night there.
Speculation of Pelosi visiting Taiwan has sparked anger in China, which has repeatedly warned of “serious consequences” if the reported trip goes ahead.
“If Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan, China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing, without giving details.
In a phone call last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned President Joe Biden that the U.S. must not “play with fire” regarding China’s involvement with Taiwan.
“Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this,” a Chinese readout of the call stated.
Chinese officials have said Pelosi visiting Taiwan would violate the One China Policy and would constitute aiding an illegal rebellion. For more than 40 years, the U.S. has followed a One China Policy, recognizing Beijing as the government of China while still maintaining informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan.
The White House has stated that there is no reason for the U.S. and China to “come to blows” if Pelosi were to pay a visit to Taiwan and that a visit would not signal a change in U.S. policy.
“There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit, consistent with long standing U.S. policy, into some sort of crisis or conflict, or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait,” National Security Council Strategic Coordinator for Communications John Kirby told reporters on Monday.