Blunt: Nancy Pelosi was right about Taiwan trip
Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt is praising House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ongoing trip to Taiwan as China threatens to take forceful action.
“I’m about to use four words in a row that I haven’t used in this way before,” said Blunt. “Those four words are…Speaker Pelosi was right…when she decided to include Taiwan on her visit to Asia, or if she had been going to Taiwan it would have been right.”
Pelosi has become the highest-ranking American official in 25 years to visit the self-ruled island claimed by China.
“To send that message that we believe in democracy and we believe that the Taiwanese people have a right to that democracy, that’s exactly the message Speaker Pelosi is taking with her today,” said Blunt. “China proved in Hong Kong that there is no one-country, two-systems. If you’re going to be under the control of China, you’re going to be under the control of China.”
Pelosi’s visit has ratcheted up tension between China and the United States because China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and it views visits by foreign government officials as recognition of the island’s sovereignty.
The Biden administration, and Pelosi, say the United States remains committed to its “one-China policy,” which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
“We must stand by Taiwan,” Pelosi said in an opinion piece published by The Washington Post on her arrival in Taiwan. She cited the commitment that the U.S. made to a democratic Taiwan under a 1979 law.
Skip to 40:21 in the video below to see Blunt’s full remarks:
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The Associated Press contributed to this report