By Crystal Wu, Sky News
3rd August 2022 – (Washington) Former president of the United States Donald Trump has lashed out at Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for her decision to visit Taiwan amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Speaker Pelosi and five other Democratic members of Congress landed in Taipei on Tuesday evening, making her the highest-ranking US elected official to travel to Taiwan since 1997.
“Why is Crazy Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Always causing trouble. Nothing she does turns out well.”
The former president had previously warned Ms Pelosi against a potential visit to Taiwan, saying she should not get involved in the China and Taiwan situation as she would only make it worse.
“Why is Nancy Pelosi getting involved with China and Taiwan other than to make trouble and more money,” he said in a statement on Truth Social on Friday.
“The China mess is the last thing she should be involved in – she will only make it worse.
“Everything she touches turns to Chaos, Disruption, and ‘Crap’.
“The China mess is the last thing she should be involved in – she will only make it worse. Crazy Nancy just inserts herself and causes great friction and hatred. She is such a mess!”
The Speaker of the House flew onboard a US Air Force passenger jet and was greeted on the tarmac alongside Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Sandra Oudkirk.
The 82-year-old, who made no mention of a visit to the island, posted a photo of her standing alongside officials as she vowed to “stand with Taiwan” in a post on Twitter.
“Our visit reiterates that America stands with Taiwan: a robust, vibrant democracy and our important partner in the Indo-Pacific,” she wrote.
China’s defence ministry announced that its military would conduct “targeted” drills and missile tests in response to her arrival on Tuesday.
“This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques.” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a statement.
“It has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations, and seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for ‘Taiwan Independence’.
“China firmly opposes and sternly condemns this, and has made serious demarche and strong protest to the United States.”
Chinese warplanes had buzzed along the Taiwan Strait prior to her arrival but now “targeted military operations” would be launched, according to the foreign ministry.