Nancy Pelosi begins closely-watched Asia tour in Singapore

Nancy Pelosi's office announced that she was leading a U. S. Congressional delegation to the region that would include visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan but made no mention of Taiwan

U. S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi was set to kick-off a tour of four Asian countries on Monday in Singapore amid intense speculation that she may risk the wrath of Beijing by also visiting Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China.

On Sunday, Ms. Pelosi's office announced that she was leading a Congressional delegation to the region that would include visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. It made no mention of Taiwan.

China views visits by U. S. officials to Taiwan as sending an encouraging signal to the pro-independence camp in the island. Washington does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

A visit by Ms. Pelosi, who is third in the line of succession to the presidency and a long-time critic of China, would come amid worsening ties between Washington and Beijing. Republican Newt Gingrich was the last House speaker to visit Taiwan, in 1997.

During a phone call last Thursday, President Chinese Xi Jinping warned his U. S. counterpart Joe Biden that Washington should abide by the one-China principle and "those who play with fire will perish by it".

Biden told Xi that the U. S. policy on Taiwan had not changed and that Washington strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

On Monday, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang did not directly respond when asked whether Ms. Pelosi will visit on Thursday, as local media have speculated.