Pelosi meets with Taiwan’s president in historic visit, escalating tensions with China

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is leading an official congressional delegation to Asia this week, made an unannounced visit to Taiwan on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON ⁠— House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is leading an official congressional delegation to Asia this week, made an unannounced visit to Taiwan late on Tuesday, a move that escalated tensions between Beijing and Washington.

The California Democrat met with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, who presented Pelosi with the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon, a civilian order of the highest rank.

“Speaker Pelosi is truly one of Taiwan’s most devoted friends,” Tsai said at a ceremony that took place Wednesday after Pelosi addressed Taiwan’s parliament. “We are truly grateful to you for making this visit to Taiwan to showcase the U.S. Congress’s staunch support for Taiwan.”

Pelosi is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan since then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich traveled there in 1997. She visited the island in 1999 but she was not in leadership then. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle (and Gingrich) had been urging Pelosi to make the trip despite warnings from China of "serious consequences."

Pelosi described Taiwan as a “flourishing democracy” whose story is “an inspiration to all freedom-loving people in the United States and around the world.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pelosi-makes-historic-visit-taiwan-china-threats-rcna40675

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