WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading an official congressional delegation to Asia on Friday, two sources said, though it’s unclear if the trip will include a stop in Taiwan.
One of the sources who had reviewed the itinerary on Thursday afternoon said it listed a Taiwan visit as “tentative,” though the trip will include visits to Asian allies Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.
Bloomberg News first reported that Pelosi’s delegation is departing on Friday, the last day the House is in session before its monthlong August recess.
Pelosi has invited senior lawmakers to join her on the trip, including Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Veterans Affairs Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., who led a delegation of lawmakers to Taiwan last year.
Takano declined to comment about the trip when approached by NBC News on Thursday afternoon.
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Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill also declined to comment. The speaker’s office has a policy of not discussing any international travel by lawmakers in advance, citing security concerns.
Earlier reports that Pelosi may visit Taiwan sparked international headlines and stern warnings from Beijing that it would carry out a “forceful” response if she sets foot on the democratic island, which China sees as under its control.
President Joe Biden, who spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, had raised concerns about Pelosi possibly traveling to Taiwan. He said over the weekend that U.S. military officials have told him that visiting Taiwan “is not a good idea right now.”
Tensions over Taiwan were among the issues that Biden and Xi discussed by phone.
Lawmakers from both parties rallied behind Pelosi, however, urging her to make the trip and emphasize U.S. support for the self-governing island.
This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
