The meetings, though light on substance, were widely welcomed in Taiwan as a symbolic victory. “America’s determination to preserve democracy here in Taiwan and around the world remains ironclad.” Pelosi said during a meeting with Taiwan’s president.

“Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” Ms. During the drills, Chinese forces are expected to encircle the island, dropping missiles into seas only 10 miles from its coast. Taiwan is now bracing for Beijing to begin live-fire military drills on Thursday, an escalation without recent precedent. In her wake, she left a crisis, setting the stage for new brinkmanship between China and the United States over power and influence in Asia. In the whirlwind day of events, she was welcomed by crowds of supporters waving banners and followed by the news media and protesters, her closely tracked meetings and movements streamed partly online. Pelosi met with Taiwanese lawmakers and then with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, offering assurances of United States support for the island democracy that China claims as its own. Taiwan Presidential Office, via ReutersĪfter weeks of silence ahead of a high-stakes visit to Taiwan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi was anything but understated on Wednesday during a day of high-profile meetings in which she offered support for Taiwan and irked China. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, met with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, and was presented with an award for outstanding contributions to Taiwan.

Standoff 2 profile picture