BBC News:-
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s rumoured plan for a trip to Taiwan has infuriated China and left the White House with a serious geopolitical headache. How big a problem is this?
On Monday, China warned of “serious consequences” if Nancy Pelosi were to proceed with a visit to Taiwan in the coming weeks.
Second in line to the presidency, Mrs Pelosi would be the highest ranking US politician to travel to the self-governing island democracy since 1997.
However, China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be part of the country again – and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this.
The potential trip has not only rankled Beijing – the Biden administration has reportedly tried to dissuade the California Democrat from going.
Last week, President Joe Biden told reporters “the military thinks it’s not a good idea”, but his White House has called Chinese rhetoric against any such trip “clearly unhelpful and not necessary”.
