House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan Tuesday despite threats from the Chinese government that there would be "serious consequences" for the visit.
Why it matters: Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan and reacts furiously to any gestures that seem to treat the self-governing island as an independent country. Pelosi, who is the most senior U.S. lawmaker to visit since 1997, tweeted that visit "honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy."
