A news report by Radio France Internationale says US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan on Thursday. But the French broadcaster doesn’t name its source.
Neither Taiwan nor the US have confirmed whether Pelosi will make the trip.
If Pelosi does visit Taiwan, she will be the first sitting House speaker to come to the country since Newt Gingrich in 1997.
A statement on Pelosi’s government website about her trip to Asia did not mention Taiwan. But at least one former US defense official has said the visit could still happen in an “informal” capacity.
Taiwan’s Premier Su Tseng-chang has refused to comment directly on the rumored trip. He says Taiwan warmly welcomes visits by “distinguished foreign friends.” The government, Su says, respects guests’ decisions regarding the timing and schedule of their trips.
Pelosi originally intended to visit Taiwan in April, but she canceled her plans after testing positive for COVID-19. The Chinese government has warned that Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan would be met with “strong measures.”