US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is in Japan during the last leg of her Asia visit on Friday, said that her trip was not about changing the status quo of Taiwan and will not allow China to isolate the island country.
Addressing the press conference, Pelosi said that their representation in Taiwan is not about changing the status quo of the island country. She further said that the relationship developed between them is to have peace in Taiwan.
She also said that China made the missile strikes using her Taiwan visit as "an excuse". "The Chinese launched their strikes, probably using our visit as an excuse. They've tried to isolate Taiwan, keeping them away most recently from World Health Organization by not even letting their participation beyond the agenda of the world health...," Pelosi added.
"They may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan by preventing us to travel there. We had high-level visits ... We will not allow them to isolate Taiwan. They're not doing our travel schedule, the Chinese government is not doing that," she reiterated US support to Taiwan.
In response to a question about her trip, She said that Taiwan is one of the freest countries. Giving the example of semiconductor success, She further said that Taiwan's economy is flourishing and they have learnt from their business people and also about other policies.
"Our president has his communication with the Chinese president. We're two big countries and we have to have communication among us ... If we don't speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak about human rights anywhere in the world. We tried to find our common ground," Pelosi said.
On August 4, China launched multiple ballistic missiles into waters to the northeast and southwest of Taiwan, threatening Taiwan's national security and escalating regional tensions in the region.
Taiwan has strongly condemned China's "North Korea" style missile firing into waters near the self-governed island as it asked Beijing to exercise self-restraint.
Live-fire drills began in seven identified zones around the island, that regard its own and threaten to take over. The Chinese PLA organized joint combat training exercises near Taiwan waters and airspace, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Taiwan government has urged the international community to condemn China's military coercion toward Taiwan.
The United States also denounced China's missile launches in Japan's exclusive economic zone that were carried out as part of military exercises in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan.
"We condemn these actions which are irresponsible and at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region," National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby told a briefing on Thursday.
Pelosi's high-stakes visit marks the first visit by a US House Speaker in 25 years since Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in April 1997. It was also Pelosi's first trip to Taiwan in over two decades.
( With inputs from ANI )
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