By Rosy Yang

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan despite repeated warnings from the Chinese Government, further dimming prospects of future China-U.S. cooperation.

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a display of her disregard for the “one-China” principle and the three joint communiques that lay the foundation for China-U.S. diplomatic relations. In the 1972 Shanghai Communique, the U.S. explicitly acknowledged that “all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position.” However, despite continuing to pay lip service to the pledge, the U.S. has increasingly sought to violate it in spirit. Speaker Pelosi’s visit is the latest example. As the second person in line of succession to the U.S. presidency, Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan will clearly have the effect of bolstering separatist sentiments on the island. Such continued inconsistency in word and deed is despicable.

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is also a clear sign of provocation to China, at a time when the world is already busy grappling with a number of challenges. With U.S. mid-term elections coming up and her Speaker term coming to an end, Ms. Pelosi may feel that she should do something to shore up support for the Democratic Party and leave a legacy. However, tampering with the internal affairs of another country is completely illegitimate. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, and that fact will not change despite U.S. meddling. Of course, diverting attention to foreign scapegoats is often easier than solving problems at home. But responsible politicians should aim higher. Short-sighted political opportunism will likely cause long-lasting repercussions.

So far, China has announced plans for military drills around Taiwan to deter separatists, banned exports to Taiwan, and lodged a demarche with the U.S. among other moves. It is clear that China’s reaction to Ms. Pelosi’s provocative visit will continue beyond this week, and have far-reaching implications for China-U.S. relations going forward. Coming on the heels of Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden’s phone call, Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is particularly regrettable, since it demonstrates a lack of goodwill on the part of the U.S.. If the U.S. continues to engage in reckless behavior, it risks generating greater instability in the world, which will ultimately hurt itself.

(Rosy Yang is a committee member of the All-China Youth Federation and board member of the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities, the views do not necessarily reflect those of Bauhinia Magazine.）