USSC's Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe writes in Ticker News that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan is on after days of speculation and significant angst over what Pelosi’s visit would mean, especially in light of China’s exceptionally hostile words about the trip.
"As Australia knows from the bitter rhetoric and harsh punitive measures China has inflicted on Australia over trade, the messages from Beijing on this trip have risen to high-decibel levels. After the long telephone call last Thursday between President Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping, the official readout from Beijing was emphatic: 'Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this'.
Many see Pelosi’s visit as exceptionally provocative, and it is clear China expected President Biden to do something about it, particularly after Biden said to the media 10 days ago that “the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now.”
The truly big question is: What will Pelosi’s message to Taiwan and China be when she is there? What signals will she send? What she says will directly affect strategic calculations of how to further play out the long game over Taiwan.