Russia Claims US Provokes China, Sympathizes with Beijing Over Nancy Pelosi's Expected Taiwan Visit

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the US on Tuesday of "provoking" China amid reports that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi might go to the region this week and stop in Taiwan.

Peskov made his remarks as Pelosi, who had just arrived in Malaysia for the second phase of her Asian tour, had just left Singapore.

Russia Condemns Pelosi's Potential Visit to Taiwan

Although the Biden administration stated clearly on Monday that the US will "not be scared" by China's "saber-rattling" after facing harsh criticism from Beijing, neither Pelosi's office nor the White House have announced that she would be visiting Taiwan. Pelosi said in a statement on Tuesday that she will speak with Malaysian officials about "security issues, economic possibilities, and governance goals," though Taipei was not directly addressed.

Pelosi is reportedly scheduled to arrive in Taipei Tuesday night, according to Taiwanese local media. Jake Sullivan, the White House security advisor, was also questioned on Tuesday morning about Pelosi's plans to travel to Taiwan, where she would be the highest-ranking elected US official to do so in more than 25 years, given the heightened hostilities with Beijing.

Sullivan said that House Speakers had previously visited Taiwan and that numerous members of Congress traveled to Taipei earlier this year. He claimed that the United States still adheres to the one-China policy. As Moscow seeks to strengthen its connections with China in the face of deteriorating geopolitical relations with the West as a result of its conflict in Ukraine, Russia has been involved in the difficult relations between Washington and Beijing.

Rebekah Koffler, a former intelligence officer in Russian doctrine and strategy for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), claimed on Fox News that the controversy over Pelosi's speculated visit serves Putin's purposes by drawing attention away from the West's involvement in Moscow's conflict in Ukraine.

Per TASS, the Kremlin spokesman added that US actions often cause regional tensions to rise. "We probably can't say with certainty right now whether she will or won't go there, but we can definitely say that everything that is associated with this trip and with a potential visit to Taiwan is, of course, totally provocative. We can see this and the whole world can see it," Peskov said.

China Sends Fighter Jet in Taiwan Ahead of Pelosi's Expected Arrival

As news of Pelosi's potential trip to Taipei spread, the tension in the Taiwan Strait escalated. Two aircraft carriers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy had earlier been reported to have sailed and were en route to the Taiwan Strait region, according to Taiwanese media and an unidentified military observer.

Fearing an invasion, Beijing has sent both of its ships-the Shandong and the Liaoning-out to sea in an extraordinary display of force. The aircraft, SPAR19, is seen flying out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before turning north and headed for Taiwan.

According to reports, the US military plane is flying in a wide course to avoid passing over the highly fortified South China Sea. Both the US and China maintain significant military presences in the area, with Beijing amassing warships, aircraft, and tanks in Xiamen and Fujian, close to the Taiwan Strait.

Both Shandong and Liaoning weigh over 60,000 tons and can accommodate many airplanes and helicopters. The two carriers, which Beijing views as a source of national pride, are the cornerstone around which China is erecting its fleet, as per The Sun. The third carrier in China is called Fujian, although it is currently being built. Videos of the battleships departing port-Liaoning leaving Qingdao and Shandong leaving Sanya-were posted by the state media.

In advance of Pelosi's anticipated trip to Taiwan, both ships are at sea as tensions in the area rise. Second only to Vice President Kamala Harris in line for the president is the US Speaker of the House. She will also be the most senior US politician to visit the island if the trip goes on, which will enrage China. The USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier, and her strike force are now operating close to Taiwan.

Taiwanese citizens assert that they are a separate country, despite Beijing's assertion that the island is theirs. The entire globe is anxiously awaiting news of Pelosi's arrival in Taipei in the coming hours and China's response. Any interaction between Washington and Taiwan's capital Taipei is seen by China as a US support for the island's independence. Recently, war drills have been held between China and Taiwan.