China could also respond by flying more fighter jets into Taiwan’s self-declared air defense zone, which could prompt a response from Taiwan and the US, the official added. They did not elaborate on what a possible response would entail.
China has sent warplanes into the identification zone of Taiwan’s self-declared air defense zone many times in recent months, an act that does not violate any international law but normally prompts Taiwan to take precautionary defensive measures, including , sometimes, the revolt of their fighter planes.
Chinese planes have not entered the island’s territorial airspace, the area that extends 12 nautical miles from its coast.
The State Department has asked China to stop bullying Taiwan.
Pelosi has been planning a trip to Taiwan in the coming weeks, according to three sources familiar with the planning process.
While other members of Congress and former US officials have visited Taiwan this year, Pelosi would be the highest-ranking US lawmaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Then-Speaker Newt Gingrich traveled there in 1997.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan have increased in recent months. The Chinese Communist Party has long claimed that Taiwan was democratically ruled as part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to “reunify” with the island of 24 million people, by force if necessary, despite not having- the government never The United States has pledged to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, although recent arms sales to Taiwan have been slow to arrive, raising concerns among US lawmakers.
The Chinese embassy in Washington referred CNN to statements by a State Department spokesman expressing strong opposition to a possible visit by Pelosi when asked to comment on airspace concerns.
The Financial Times was the first to report Pelosi’s plans for a visit. President Joe Biden cited the U.S. military’s concerns about Pelosi’s potential trip earlier this week.
“I think the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the state is,” Biden said Wednesday when asked if it was a good idea for Pelosi to travel to the self-governing island.
Col. Dave Butler, a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military “generally” informs decision makers about military assessments. “We talk about what adversaries can do, we talk about logistics and military and preparedness plans,” Butler said. He declined to say whether Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with Pelosi about a proposed trip to Taiwan.
Pelosi said it is important to show support for Taiwan on Thursday, but said she would not discuss any travel plans, citing a security concern. Pelosi said she heard “anecdotally” about Biden’s comments about his possible visit, but said she hadn’t heard anything directly from the president.
“I think what the president was saying is that maybe the military was afraid that my plane was going to be shot down or something. I don’t know exactly,” Pelosi said.
State Department officials also have some concerns, two sources said. State Department spokesman Ned Price deflected questions about the trip Thursday, calling it “hypothetical” at this time.
“I’m not going to offer any advice from the podium,” Price said when asked about the State Department’s position on his possible visit.
Price reiterated that the Biden administration is still sticking to its one-China policy, noting that the US does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but instead has a robust “unofficial” relationship with the island.
In opposition to Pelosi’s possible visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday that it would “gravely violate the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques and would harm China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The spokeswoman for Taiwan’s official office in DC, Sabina Chang, told CNN that Taiwan “has not received any information about a planned visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.”
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that Chinese aircraft have entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone but have not violated international law.
CNN’s Barbara Starr contributed to this report.