It would be interesting to know what Nancy Pelosi thinks she achieved by visiting Taiwan last week. She may say her hosts were buoyed by this very visible show of support from a high-ranking American politician – and this is true, up to a point. She may also claim that she stood up for Taiwanese and global democracy against the oppressive authoritarianism typified by China’s unelected Communist party rulers.
Yet pleased as she undoubtedly was to receive the personal backing of the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, has good reason to worry that her flying visit has set back the cause to which both are committed – bolstering and fortifying Taiwan’s de facto independence. There are many ways to stand up for democracy. Gratuitously provoking a far stronger adversary for little or no substantive gain is not necessarily the best.
