United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday was coy about her rumored trip to Taipei but underscored the importance for the U.S. to show support for Taiwan.

The Financial Times reported on Monday that the 82-year-old Democratic lawmaker was planning to lead a delegation to Taiwan in August to show support for Taipei as it faces increasing pressure from Beijing.

At a press conference on Thursday, Pelosi responded to the reported trip by saying that “I don’t ever discuss my travel plans … It’s a security issue.”

Her comments came a day after President Joe Biden weighed in on the rumored trip that is likely to anger Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of Chinese territory and opposes any official contact between Taiwan and countries it has diplomatic relations with.

“Well, I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now,” Biden told reporters on Wednesday. “But I don’t know what the status of it is,” he added.

Pelosi told the press conference that Biden had not conveyed any such concern to her.

Asked what the U.S. could do to deter China from attacking Taiwan, the speaker noted that “it is important for us to show support for Taiwan.”

“None of us have said we are for independence when it comes to Taiwan. That’s up to Taiwan to decide,” she added.

Pelosi was previously reported to be planning a visit to Taiwan in early April, as part of a wider trip to Asia, but had to put off the plan after testing positive for COVID-19.

The reported trip drew strong opposition from China at that time, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (??) saying Beijing would view it as “malicious provocation.”

The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives sits second in the presidential line of succession under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, meaning if both the presidency and vice-presidency were vacant simultaneously, then the speaker would become acting president, after resigning from the House and as speaker.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel