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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has concluded her visit to Taiwan, defying threats from China and even recommendations from the U.S. military and the Biden administration against making the trip.
In the aftermath of Pelosi’s trip to the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory, Iran, Syria, Russia and the Palestinian Authority have all spoken out to condemn the House Speaker’s visit, echoing China’s outrage against the U.S.
Our visit reiterates that America stands with Taiwan: a robust, vibrant democracy and our important partner in the Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/2sSRJXN6ST
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 2, 2022
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Pelosi’s visit “an act of hostility which doesn’t match with the international law, and doesn’t respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China,” according to the state-run news outlet SANA.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani was reported by the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as criticizing Pelosi’s visit as yet another example of the U.S. failing to respect its foreign policy commitments and intervening abroad only to create instability and fueling existing differences in those regions.
Kanaani also reiterated Iran’s support for Beijing’s one-China policy. The comments come after a reported phone call between Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and China’s President Xi Jinping last week, according to IRNA, where the two leaders discussed improving their bilateral relations.
The Palestinian Authority also expressed its support for China in the Pelosi dispute, with the Palestinian presidency calling for a halt to any actions threatening China’s proclaimed sovereignty and one-China policy, according to the Palestinian Authority’s WAFA news outlet.
Most significantly at a time when Russia is involved in a brutal conflict in Ukraine, Moscow has also expressed its backing for Beijing, standing by the ally whose support has helped Russian President Vladimir Putin as he faces global pariah status due to his invasion of Ukraine.
Before Pelosi’s visit was confirmed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that her possible trip to Taiwan was “purely provocative.”
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, echoed Peskov’s words, calling the U.S. “a state provocateur.”
“Russia confirms the principle of ‘one China’ and opposes the independence of the island in any form,” she said.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke even harsher words on Wednesday, accusing the U.S. of simply trying to irritate China with Pelosi’s visit.
“I see no other reason to create such an annoyance almost out of the blue, knowing very well what it means for the People’s Republic of China,” Lavrov said during a visit to Myanmar.