WASHINGTON \u2014 Republicans and Democrats in Congress are rallying behind Speaker Nancy Pelosi by urging her to follow through on a potential visit to Taiwan<\/a> even as President Joe Biden<\/a> said the Pentagon believes such a trip is \u201cnot a good idea right now<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n China has gone much further, warning that it would respond with \u201cforceful measures\u201d if Pelosi steps foot on the democratic island Beijing considers a breakaway province.<\/p>\n Pelosi\u2019s potential visit has created a rare and high-profile intraparty rift between the veteran legislator \u2014 a staunch defender of Taiwan and an outspoken critic of China\u2019s human rights abuses \u2014 and Biden administration officials, who are wary about escalating tensions with the Asian superpower.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s also created some bipartisan unity on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I were the speaker, I\u2019d be going,\u201d said Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, who has served with Pelosi in Congress for more than two decades.<\/p>\n Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who previously served with Pelosi in the House, said, “If she wants to go, I certainly think she should go. And I think she should be more motivated to go now that she\u2019s been discouraged, and colleagues should join her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s important that we go over there and tell Taiwan that they are an important democratic ally,\u201d said Sen. Rick Scott, chairman of the Senate GOP\u2019s campaign arm. \u201cWe ought to be clear there is no ambiguity that we will support them if they get invaded by communist China.\u201d<\/p>\n Several Democrats offered similar encouragement for Pelosi.<\/p>\n “I think it’s a great idea,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J.<\/p>\n Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., a member of the Intelligence Committee, said, “The Chinese are not going to restrict the speaker of the House’s travel.”<\/p>\n \u201cNobody should not go someplace because the Chinese government \u2014 which is guilty of genocide \u2014 is speaking in threatening terms,\u201d said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a member of Pelosi\u2019s leadership team.<\/p>\n Newt Gingrich was the last House speaker to visit the democratic island, and that was in 1997. Pelosi visited Taiwan in 1999, but she did not hold a leadership post at the time.<\/p>\n Some Democrats, however, said the timing of a Taiwan trip carries both economic and geopolitical risks. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a phone call soon that will cover topics ranging from tensions over Taiwan and the war in Ukraine to managing competition between the U.S. and China, a White House spokesman said Tuesday. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMany Republicans want to see her go as a show of strength, while many Democrats are concerned about the risks of unnecessary provocation \u2014 particularly in light of high inflation, an unstable oil marketplace and Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine,\u201d said one House Democrat, who requested anonymity to talk about the political dynamics.<\/p>\n One member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy, expressed some reservations about Pelosi making the trip.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we should be purposeful. If we\u2019re going to change our Taiwan policy, let\u2019s make it a collective decision to do so; let\u2019s not do it by accident through a series of uncoordinated steps,\u201d Murphy said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, the speaker of the House visiting Taiwan is a significant step that suggests recognition \u2014 formal diplomatic recognition is not part of our current policy.\u201d<\/p>\n Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he also had concerns, but added that Pelosi now needs to make the trip so that the U.S. doesn’t appear weak in the face of China\u2019s threats.<\/p>\n \u201cHad I been consulted, I would have advised against the trip at this particular time. But since it’s now public, we must demonstrate that no country dictates where we travel and with whom we meet,” Phillips said. “The world is watching and it’s imperative the United States reassert its convictions and resolve.”<\/p>\n The 82-year-old speaker <\/strong>had hoped to lead an official congressional delegation to Taiwan in the spring but was sidelined by a Covid diagnosis at the last minute. In recent days, there were reports<\/a> she would try again during the upcoming August recess, though a Pelosi spokesman said her office would not \u201cconfirm nor deny international travel in advance due to longstanding security protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., agreed with Phillips that it’s hard for Pelosi to “back out now.” But he added that she could \u201clower the volume” by taking a smaller group of lawmakers and fly on a private plane rather than a military or government plane.<\/p>\n \u201cI think she has to go, but she can take steps to make it a fact-finding trip and not something that could be exploited by the other side,\u201d Reed said. \u201cThat\u2019s the danger: The Chinese could exploit the visit for their own needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Attention around the potential trip comes as Congress is poised to pass major legislation aimed at boosting domestic computer chip production and competition with China. On Tuesday, the package known as \u201cCHIPS-plus\u201d cleared a key procedural hurdle<\/a> in the Senate; it’s on track to pass both chambers by the end of the week.<\/p>\n
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