In the days leading up to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan, there was a clear contrast between the perspective on the ground here and in Washington.
In the island democracy, life carried on as usual. The media focused on domestic news. Taiwanese officials said little about the issue, save Premier Su Tseng-chang telling reporters that Taiwan “warmly welcomes” foreign guests.
Yet the White House expressed unease about the visit and many in its Asia brain trust warned that the trip would be a grave mistake. U.S. scholars argued it would infuriate China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and likely foment a crisis.