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Nancy Pelosi explains her Taiwan trip as vital to defence of democracy and freedom

  • Moments after the US speaker of the House lands in Taipei, The Washington Post publishes an essay in which she outlines the reasons for her visit
  • She cites ‘Beijing’s abysmal human rights record and disregard for the rule of law … as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on power’

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The Taipei 101 skyscraper displays a welcome message for US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
Jacob Fromerin Washington

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said her trip to Taiwan is a signal to the world that Washington stands with the self-governed island’s “vibrant, robust” democracy and has a “sacred vow” to support its defence amid growing threats from Beijing.

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“In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) accelerating aggression, our congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as an unequivocal statement that America stands with Taiwan, our democratic partner, as it defends itself and its freedom,” she wrote in an essay published in The Washington Post moments after she landed in Taipei on Tuesday, her first public comments outlining her reasons for the trip.

“We cannot stand by as the CCP proceeds to threaten Taiwan – and democracy itself,” she said. “By traveling to Taiwan, we honor our commitment to democracy: reaffirming that the freedoms of Taiwan – and all democracies – must be respected.”

Her trip comes at a highly tense moment for Washington, Beijing and Taipei.

Speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi and her congressional delegation pose with Taiwan officials upon their arrival at Songshan Airport in Taipei. Photo: Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AFP
Speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi and her congressional delegation pose with Taiwan officials upon their arrival at Songshan Airport in Taipei. Photo: Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AFP

As she arrived at Songshan Airport in Taiwan’s capital, China’s military announced that it would conduct live-fire military drills around Taiwan’s perimeter in the coming days.

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