BBC News:
Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has left Joe Biden with a serious headache as he tries to manage ties with America’s biggest global rival. Analysts warn that many risks lie ahead.
The relationship between China and the United States was founded on deliberate ambiguity over Taiwan.
Maintaining the status quo – in which Beijing says Taiwan is part of China, Taiwan says it’s independent, the US says it’s not but treats it like an ally, and no one makes aggressive moves on their claims – has been the least-worst option of keeping a tenuous peace.
But the US House Speaker has shone a harsh spotlight on the contradictions of this arrangement – which had already become strained.
China’s fury over her visit to Taiwan – she is the most senior US official to make the trip in 25 years – has also further complicated President Biden’s efforts to manage a relationship that’s reached new lows.
And it’s increased the chance of America being drawn into conflict with another major power while preoccupied with Russia’s war against Ukraine.
