US House Speaker Pelosi begins Asia tour, no mention of Taiwan

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi starts a tour of four Asian countries on Sunday, her office said, without mentioning Taiwan amid intense speculation she might visit the self-ruled island claimed by China.

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading a Congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan," her office said in a press release.

The release said the visit would include those countries, but did not specify whether Pelosi, who is number 3 in the line of presidential succession, might make other stops.

READ MORE

Philippine ex-President Fidel Ramos warrior and survivor dies at 94

Russia invites UN, Red Cross experts to probe Ukraine jail deaths

"The trip will focus on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region," it said.

Gregory Meeks, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was among the delegation listed.

China views visits by U.S. officials to Taiwan as sending an encouraging signal to the pro-independence camp in the island. Washington does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Joe Biden on Thursday that Washington should abide by the one-China principle and "those who play with fire will perish by it."

Biden told Xi US policy on Taiwan had not changed and that Washington strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Agence France-Presse