President Biden on Monday said he’s “not worried” about China’s aggressive response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) trip last week to Taiwan, adding that he doesn’t think things will escalate any further between the US and Beijing, The Hill reported.
“I’m not worried, but I’m concerned that they’re moving as much as they are. But I don’t think they’re going to do anything more,” Biden told reporters.
When asked if Pelosi’s trip was a mistake, the president said, “That was her decision.”
The Biden administration has condemned Beijing’s live-fire drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan, which included multiple Chinese warships and aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, following Pelosi’s visit.
“They are provocative, irresponsible, and raise the risk of miscalculation, that’s what the president was referring to,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday, referring to China’s response.
“They are also at odd with our longstanding goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan strait, which is what the world expects,” she added.
Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last week made her the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. The Chinese foreign ministry characterised her visit as having a “severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations.”
Since she landed, the White House has said it respects Pelosi’s decision to visit Taiwan and has pushed back on questions about any drama between the Speaker’s office and the White House surrounding her trip.
