EXCERPT:
RIPLEY: “Well, you know, they’re not officially saying anything. But all indications are that it could very likely happen probably after she visits Japan because she could get a military escort pretty easily from U.S. Military facilities in Japan. Look, Nancy Pelosi, we know, thinks that it’s important for the U.S. to show support to Taiwan. And lawmakers on both sides have been urging her to do this even though China has lashed out through their state media and their defense ministry and their foreign ministry, promising to react. There’s been so much discussion about it. Analysts say China is pretty much obligated at this stage to do something if Pelosi goes to Taiwan. It is believed that China doesn’t want this to escalate into a conflict any more than the United States does, given Xi Jinping is going to enter a critical point for his political career as he seeks an unprecedented third term in office, making him president for life potentially. And Taiwan has been really quiet about all of this partly because this visit really puts them in a very awkward position. Obviously they don’t want to turn away one of the most powerful law makers in the United States, a country that supplies weapons Taiwan would need to defend itself against the Chinese invasion. The Beijing communist rulers have claimed this island for more than several years even through they’ve never controlled it. After China’s Civil War they both laid claim to the other side and Beijing has never let that claim go. Taiwan has their own military. They have their own government. And they depend on democracies like the United States for help. But they also don’t want to appear too enthusiastic about a high ranking visit by Nancy Pelosi being the highest level ranking U.S. official to visit in 20 years because they don’t want Beijing to blame Taiwan and use that as an excuse to do something very provocative.”