Defense Secretary Esper: U.S. Official’s Taiwan Visit is not Decided by Beijing

On July 20th, U.S. President Joe Biden, talking about his view on U.S. House Speaker Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, said “the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now.” On this matter, the former Defense Secretary Esper said he does not hold that a U.S. official’s visit should be decided by Communist China. Only if Washington made its political leaders visit Taiwan, the true situation of Taiwan could be understood.

 On July 21st, in an interview by the press, Esper said one of the biggest policy problems the U.S. facing at present is that the Communist dictatorship is allowed to speak too much on this issue. About Pelosi’s visit, the U.S. should listen to the opinion of Taipei, and Taiwan is looking forward to the visit Pelosi.

 Esper was the U.S. Defence Secretary from July 2019 to November 2020. He said the U.S. should make the right decision to let the political leaders visit Taiwan, meet the Taiwan leaders, and listen to the views of Taiwan, to provide an assessment of U.S. political decisions.

 Esper pointed out that the “One China Policy” is at the end of its road. Washington’s policy needs to be renewed and modified. In fact, when the news of the U.S. House Speaker will visit Taiwan was released, the U.S. would consider the response of Communist China, it really means that it is time for U.S. to review its policy on Taiwan. Esper visited Taiwan on July 19th, and said that America’s “One China Policy” has no use anymore. Thus, America should abandon the “strategic ambiguity.”

 According to reports, some believed Pelosi will visit Taiwan in August. The U.S. House speaker Pelosi said on July 21st, that she had never talked about her visit journey due to security reason. However, she said it’s very important to show her supportive to Taiwan.

 As to the President Biden mentioned of military’s opinion that Pelosi’s Taiwan visit was not good idea at present, Pelosi said that the military might be worried about her plane the attacked by People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Pelosi said “I don’t know exactly. I didn’t see it. I didn’t hear it. You’re telling me, and I’ve heard it anecdotally.”

 Pelosi originally planned to visit Taiwan in April of this year. She had to cancel this journey after tested positive for COVID. If Pelosi can visit Taiwan in August, it will be the first U.S. House Speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years.