House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (left) as she arrives in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 2, 2022.
Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday despite warnings from the Chinese government.
The visit was highly anticipated by people in Taiwan, including media who gathered at the airport.
“It felt like catching a rare Pokémon,” one videographer said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taipei, Taiwan, on Tuesday despite warnings of potential retaliation by the Chinese government.
Crowds of people gathered at Taipei Songshan Airport to watch Pelosi’s arrival, with attendees telling The New York Times that her visit was a “historic moment” for the country, which is still considered by Beijing to be Chinese territory.
“It felt like catching a rare Pokémon,” Henry Chang, a 32-year-old videographer, told The Times. He added that he was unconcerned about the probability of military conflict triggered by the House Speaker’s visit. “I feel like a war simply couldn’t happen — everyone will go on with their lives.”
“This incident demonstrates Taiwan’s independence,” Huang Chao-yuan, a 53-year-old business owner, also told the outlet.
—ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 2, 2022
Taipei 101, the country’s tallest skyscraper, was illuminated with a message welcoming Pelosi to the island.
—Tingting Liu 劉亭廷 (@tingtingliuTVBS) August 2, 2022
Pelosi wrote on Twitter that her visit “honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy.”
—Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 2, 2022
Check back for updates.