Ms. Pelosi’s flight to Malaysia on a US air force plane has left Kuala Lumpur. The US Navy has simultaneously deployed four warships east of Taiwan, albeit it is unknown if Ms. Pelosi is on that aircraft.
Even though there has been no official announcement, local media in Taiwan has reported that Ms. Pelosi will arrive in Taipei on Tuesday.
The US airforce jet that Ms. Pelosi flew on to Malaysia has taken off from Kuala Lumpur – it is unclear if Ms. Pelosi is on the plane, but the US Navy has simultaneously deployed four warships east of Taiwan.
A US official called these “routine deployments”.
Prior to her arrival, China‘s foreign ministry confirmed there had been communication with the US, adding it wanted to be “clear about the gravity and sensitivity of this matter”.
Ms. Pelosi began a tour of four Asian countries on Monday, starting in Singapore. She arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday for the second leg, where she met lower house Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun in parliament and then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be annexed by force if necessary, has warned of repercussions, saying its military will “never sit idly by” if Ms. Pelosi pushes ahead with the visit.
The country views Taiwan as a part of its own territory and interprets diplomatic exchanges with the US as a call to formalize its long-standing de facto independence.
The visit would make her the highest-ranking elected US official to visit in more than 25 years.
On Monday, the White House hit back at Beijing’s rhetoric, and said the US has no interest in deepening tensions with China and “will not take the bait or engage in saber-rattling”.