US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Malaysia on Tuesday, having arrived after visiting Singapore as part of her Asian trip. The American lawmaker is expected to meet Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and her counterpart in the Malaysian legislature Azhar Azizan Harun, local news agency Bernama reported.
Reports suggest that after visiting Malaysia, the delegation led by Pelosi, which includes six congressmen, will travel to Taipei later in the day. During the visit, she is expected to meet with the island's leadership, including president Tsai Ing-wen.
The White House noted that she has right to go to Taiwan, but also noted that the speaker neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of the trip.
Addressing the issue, China's People's Liberation Army started military exercises on Saturday in the southeastern province of Fujian across the strait from the island, closing the designated maritime area. At the same time, reports say that an American aircraft carrier group led by the USS Ronald Reagan is heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Beijing has repeatedly stated that the trip would infringe the one-China principle and jeopardize US-China bilateral relations. China stressed it is ready to defend its state sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning Washington about dire consequences if Pelosi's visit to Taiwan takes place.
