Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip Is Only the Start of US Headaches
China can employ a vast range of gray-zone tactics to pressure the island, most of which Washington will find hard to counter without risking an open conflict.
Pelosi’s visit has caused an uproar.
Photographer: Annabelle Chih/Getty Images
To widespread relief, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plane landed in Taipei without incident on Aug. 2. Fears that the Chinese military might interfere with her flight, triggering a dangerous confrontation with the United States, did not materialize.
The challenge facing the US, however, has only just begun. In response to Pelosi’s visit, the Chinese military announced a three-day military exercise in six areas close to Taiwan. Although this round of drills won’t start until noon on Aug. 4 —after Pelosi’s scheduled departure — it marks an unprecedented escalation of China’s military tactics in the Taiwan Strait. Even a casual look at the areas designated as off-limits reveals that they simulate a naval blockade.