Sunday, 22 Jun 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > Congress Warns China to Chill on Pelosi’s Potential Trip to Taiwan
World

Congress Warns China to Chill on Pelosi’s Potential Trip to Taiwan

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Congress Warns China to Chill on Pelosi’s Potential Trip to Taiwan
SHARE
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

As rumors swirl that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress may be jetting off to Taiwan in the coming days, China is threatening a forceful retaliation. But U.S. lawmakers have their own message for China and President Xi Jinping: Don’t mess with us.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, warned that if China has learned any lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine, Beijing ought to stand down.

“China is playing with fire there if they learn the wrong lesson from Ukraine, if they think that they can violently violate Taiwan’s territorial integrity that they wouldn’t suffer reputational and economic damage,” Swalwell told The Daily Beast.

Pentagon Will Send Fighter Jets to Protect Pelosi if She Visits Taiwan: Report

China should know better than to go after Taiwan or conduct any “forceful” military responses to Pelosi’s visit, according to Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“If China attacks Taiwan today… they’re going to be in a world of hurt,” Moulton told The Daily Beast.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, but leaders from around the globe have reacted, providing weapons aid to Ukraine to thwart Russia and throttling Russia’s economy through sanctions. Meanwhile Russian forces have faltered and failed to achieve key objectives in Ukraine.

The lawmakers’ warnings come as Pelosi’s possible trip nears: She’s supposed to depart Friday. And Chinese President Xi told President Joe Biden on a two-hour long call Friday to not “play with fire” when it comes to Taiwan, according to Reuters

But the lesson China should learn from Ukraine is that allies, just as they have rushed to help Ukraine, will help Taiwan, according to Rep. Gerrald Connolly (D-VA), a member of the U.S.-China Working Group and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“Determined resistance to naked aggression can be effective and can draw lots of ancillary support,” Connolly said.

On what lessons China should learn from Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ)—the former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in the Obama administration—is crystal clear.

“Don’t invade Taiwan,” Malinowski, now a member of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security, told The Daily Beast.

Biden Reveals Red Line That Would Spark War With China

Some lawmakers fear, however, that China could have learned the wrong lesson from Ukraine, surmising that with increased U.S. defense aid to Taiwan year over year, the longer China waits to invade, the harder it may be to overtake Taiwan.

Asked if he’s confident the United States and Taiwan are currently prepared to deter China from invading, Moulton told The Daily Beast that the outlook is not good.

“No. I think we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

Moulton added that he hopes lawmakers and the Biden administration can leverage what they have learned from Ukraine and work to boost Taiwan’s preparations for a potential invasion. And he said he and the House Armed Services Committee were working on “pushing the administration to respond properly, so that we’re better prepared to… deter and prevent an invasion of Taiwan than we were to deter and prevent an invasion of Ukraine.”

“What we want to do,” he continued, ”is get to a place where they don’t even consider it.”

Already this year, the United States has approved two air-defense capabilities packages for Taiwan—one totaling $100 million and another totaling $95 million. Both packages were focused on giving Taiwan equipment, training, and other services tied to the island’s Patriot Air Defense System.

Taiwan TV Station Apologizes After Announcing Chinese Invasion

Biden has warned that the United States would respond “militarily” if China were to invade Taiwan. The statement appeared to add some clarity to America’s position on Taiwan—although the United States acknowledges China’s stance that Taiwan is a part of China, it doesn’t recognize China’s claim to Taiwan, and has long maintained a strategically ambiguous stance on whether it would intervene with force if China were to attack.

But there’s a real concern that China might just be better prepared than Russia for an invasion, according to Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“Russia’s shortcomings in Ukraine are in large part due to its cumbersome organizational structure, top heavy decision making, its poor logistics trains, and I’m not sure that we would see the same shortcomings in an offensive by China,” Brown told The Daily Beast. “I don’t think that we would see that same sort of incompetence.”

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its preparatory work to take on Taiwan have set off alarm bells throughout the Capital region for years. The PLA has recently undertaken major organizational reforms and modernization programs, and according to the Department of Defense’s annual report on China’s military prowess, the PLA has particularly been working to develop capabilities to deter intervention in a Taiwan invasion and to “defeat third-party intervention.”

Every President Talks About Focusing on China—Biden’s Really Doing It

According to U.S. intelligence community assessments, Beijing is expected to continue to press Taiwan to move toward unification, and is in a reactionary phase when it comes to U.S. engagement on Taiwan.

While many members of Congress believe China shouldn’t dictate Pelosi’s trip plans, concerns about China’s military capabilities—and willingness to go after Taiwan—are currently looming over Congress as Pelosi’s trip hangs in the balance.

Of course, much remains to be seen: Pelosi’s office has been assembling this week to debate the Taiwan trip amid the national security implications and has the trip marked as “tentative” for now, according to NBC News.

China’s threats might just be all bluster—deployed as a way to get its way and have U.S. officials step aside on Taiwan questions—according to Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“These… descriptions of anxiety that China is showing, is just sort of a lot of bullshit,” Gallego said, noting his support for Pelosi’s visit. “We shouldn’t play their game.”

In the end, China shouldn’t be the one calling the shots on this, according to Malinowski.

“I worry about the precedent if a trip did not happen because China made threats,” he said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast’s biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast’s unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Sunak Defends Change of Heart on Tax Cut in UK Leader Race Sunak Defends Change of Heart on Tax Cut in UK Leader Race
Next Article Brandi Carlile explains what led to Joni Mitchell’s surprise return to the stage: ‘It was incredible’ Brandi Carlile explains what led to Joni Mitchell’s surprise return to the stage: ‘It was incredible’

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

LGBTQ leader is key in blocking Kansas ban on trans athletes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As state lawmakers moved to ban transgender kids from girls’ sports,…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Ashley Judd calls out John Oliver for insensitive comments about sex work: ‘Listen to survivors’

Ashley Judd, pictured in 2019, is once again using her platform to speak out on…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Biden orders emergency steps to boost U.S. solar production

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ordered emergency measures Monday to boost crucial supplies to…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

ANU launches overview into funding portfolio after pro-Palestine protests

The Australian Nationwide College (ANU) is launching a overview into its funding portfolio, acknowledging “changing…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Information reside: Wong says Australian authorities helps US strikes on Iran’s nuclear services however warns in opposition to all-out conflict
World

Information reside: Wong says Australian authorities helps US strikes on Iran’s nuclear services however warns in opposition to all-out conflict

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Iran says US ‘must receive a response’ after Trump’s strikes on nuclear websites
World

Iran says US ‘must receive a response’ after Trump’s strikes on nuclear websites

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
US request to UK over Iran would have raised authorized questions, ex-adviser says
World

US request to UK over Iran would have raised authorized questions, ex-adviser says

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Campaigners look to Historic England to save lots of Black British website Bridge Park in London
World

Campaigners look to Historic England to save lots of Black British website Bridge Park in London

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?