U.S. House Speaker Pelosi to visit Taiwan on Tuesday -Taiwan media

TAIPEI (Reuters) – A number of Taiwan media retailers reported late on Monday that U.S. Home of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will go to Taiwan on Tuesday and spend the night time in Taipei, citing unidentified sources.

China has warned that its army would by no means “sit idly by” if Pelosi had been to go to Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing.

The Liberty Occasions newspaper mentioned Pelosi was scheduled to go to Taiwan’s parliament on Wednesday morning earlier than persevering with her Asia journey.

The United Each day Information, additionally citing unnamed sources, mentioned “associated officers” had been instructed to obtain Pelosi, who is about to reach within the capital Taipei on Tuesday night on the soonest and spend the night time there.

Taiwan’s international ministry mentioned it has no touch upon studies on Pelosi’s journey plan and no additional data to share with media.

Earlier on Monday, Chinese language international ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian mentioned it could be “a gross interference in China’s inside affairs” if Pelosi visits Taiwan, and warned that it could result in “very critical developments and penalties.”

A go to by Democrat Pelosi, who’s second within the line of succession to the U.S. presidency and a long-time critic of China, would coincide with worsening ties between Washington and Beijing. Republican Newt Gingrich was the final U.S. Home speaker to go to Taiwan, in 1997.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has by no means renounced utilizing drive to carry the island underneath its management. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims and says solely its folks can determine the island’s future.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee; Enhancing by Andrew Heavens and Grant McCool)