Wednesday 3 August 2022 04:33 PM Pelosi heads to South Korea, where president won't meet her after her trip to ... trends now
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed Taiwan Wednesday after her controversial visit that infuriated the Chinese government – only to have the geopolitical tensions follow her to South Korea.
Pelosi and her congressional delegation's next stop is Seoul, where she will meet her South Korean counterpart, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and other ruling party members on Thursday.
But South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol won't be meeting her. Yoon is taking time off at home in Seoul.
An official from the presidential office told the South China Morning Post Yoon would not be greeting the high-profile US visitor, whose stature as a powerful Democratic leader and second in the line of succession infuriated Beijing and caused a diplomatic row.
'In the first place, there was no such a plan (for Yoon' meeting Pelosi) as the president's vacation schedule coincides with her visit here,' the official said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her 5-member congress delegation depart Taipei Songshan Airport to South Korea after Pelosi's visit within her Pacific tour in Taipei, Taiwan on August 3, 2022. The tensions over her visit are following her on her next leg, to South Korea
That prompted speculation online that Yoon's absence was designed to avoid further antagonizing China.
The PRC made its anger clear with a series of war games for August 4 to 7, which were revealed on a map to encircle Taiwan.
Chinese jet aircraft were also spotted repeatedly very close to the Taiwan Strait. China does not recognize Taiwan's airspace. A total of 27 fighter jets including 16 Russian-made Su-30 jets crossed into Taiwan's defense zone.
Before leaving Taiwan Pelosi met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei today.
'Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy' she said.
'America's determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad,' said the speaker.
