Nancy Pelosi departs Taiwan after visit sparked fury from China

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed Taiwan on Wednesday as China held military drills and denounced her visit.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed Taiwan on Wednesday after a whirlwind visit that drew fury from Beijing and raised fears of a potential military crisis between the United States and China. 

Before boarding a plane to leave the island, she vowed solidarity with the self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims as its territory, while China launched military drills, summoned the U.S. ambassador and halted some imports from Taiwan in a display of angry protests against her visit.

“Our delegation came here to send an unequivocal message: America stands with Taiwan,” Pelosi said at a news conference in Taipei after meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. 

The U.S. Air Force plane carrying her and five other Democratic lawmakers took off from Taipei Songshan Airport just after 6 a.m. ET.

China responds to Pelosi's Taiwan visit with military drillsAug. 3, 202200:57Beijing had warned against the Pelosi visit for weeks, issuing threats that raised fears of a new crisis in the region between the world’s two biggest economies. As soon as she touched down Tuesday, Chinese officials unleashed a barrage of furious statements and announced plans for military exercises starting immediately.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pelosi-departs-taiwan-visit-china-military-drills-rcna41266

---