In the middle of a trip to Taiwan that ruffled the feathers of the Chinese, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met in Seoul with a group of South Korean political leaders, but declined to comment publicly on relations between Taipei and Beijing that could ramp up existing bad blood.
According to the Associated Press in U.S. News & World Report, on Aug. 3, Pelosi reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to democracy in Taipei, and a day later, China kicked off large-scale military exercises. The publication said the House leader met with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.
“We also come to say to you that a friendship, (the) relationship that began from urgency and security, many years ago, has become the warmest of friendships,” Pelosi said, according to the publication. “We want to advance security, economy and governance in an inter-parliamentary way.”
Both leaders expressed their worries about the heightened tensions with North Korea, including its growing nuclear threat, according to U.S. News & World Report. When Pelosi met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the Taiwan issue was not raised, though Yoon agreed to enhance his country’s military alliance with the U.S. and stand firm against North Korean sabre rattling.
On Aug. 4, Pelosi visited the Joint Security Area and sent out a short tweet during the stop, according to the publication.
“We conveyed the gratitude of the Congress and the Country for the patriotic service of our servicemembers, who stand as sentinels of Democracy on the Korean Peninsula,” she tweeted, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Moreover, the publication reported that as Pelosi met on Aug. 3 .with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, she noted that America is determined to preserve democracy around the world.