Demonstrators for and against Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan gathered outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel, where she is staying during her visit, on Tuesday night.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — News media and crowds gathered at Taipei Airport on Tuesday to watch the arrival of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking United States official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
Huang Chao-yuan, a 53-year-old business owner, toured the area near Songshan Airport to watch Ms. Pelosi’s plane land, calling the speaker’s visit a “historic moment.”
“I am very excited about her visit today because it is an example that shows that the United States does not need to discuss with the CCP, she can come here if she wants, and anyone whom Taiwan invites can come here,” said Ms. Huang, using the acronym of the Chinese Communist Party. “This incident demonstrates Taiwan’s independence.”
Henry Chang, 32, a videographer who was at the airport to witness Ms. Pelosi’s landing, marveled at the novelty of seeing such a high-ranking US lawmaker arrive.
“It felt like catching a rare Pokemon,” he said.
He said he was not worried that the visit could lead to a military conflict. “I feel like war just can’t happen – everyone will get on with their lives,” he said.
Video footage provided by Tibetan activist Tashi Tsering showed people on Tuesday evening gathering outside the Grand Hyatt Taipei, where Ms Pelosi is expected to spend the night. Some of them held up banners reading: “Taiwan Society Welcomes US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,” “Taiwan Helping,” and “Taiwan ≠ China.”
Outside the hotel, several dozen supporters of reunification with China protested Ms. Pelosi’s visit: Some called for her to “get out of Taiwan” and some held banners denouncing her.
“It feels bittersweet to witness Pelosi land,” said one of the crowd, Sam Lin, owner of a recycling company. “It is sad to see cross-strait tensions rising, but I am also excited to see our reunification with China becoming more achievable.”
Lin, 50, added: “I don’t want to see war, but the current cross-strait relationship has reached another stage.”
Sam Lin was one of about 100 pro-unification protesters Tuesday outside the Grand Hyatt Taipei hotel, where Nancy Pelosi is staying during her visit to Taiwan. Credit… Amy Chang Chien/The New York Times
In contrast to the protest, in the capital’s central business district, Taipei 101 – once the tallest building in the world and a major landmark in the city’s skyline – was lit up with messages welcoming Ms Pelosi.
In Taiwan, many are used to threats from China, which claims the island as its territory. The standoff between Washington and Beijing over the speaker’s trip had received muted attention before Tuesday. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen remained silent in the days leading up to Ms. Pelosi’s arrival, although political advisers close to her said they welcomed visits by American officials.
In a sign of how many people in Taiwan have grown weary of China’s threats, Alexander Huang, a top official in the China-friendly Kuomintang, said he welcomed Ms Pelosi’s visit and that she had a “busy” schedule ahead of her on the island .
During her visit, Ms. Pelosi is scheduled to visit Taiwan’s legislature and meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, according to a Taiwanese lawmaker and a local official. She is also scheduled to attend a banquet at the Taipei Guest House and visit the National Museum of Human Rights.
Mr Huang said the low-key approach to the visit reflected planning designed to avoid escalating an already tense situation with China.
“They did not make a statement to the outside world, trying not to antagonize the other side, and had done everything in their power to make the situation in the Taiwan Strait not too tense,” he said.
He said he was most worried about the military response from mainland China — specifically what China might do after Ms. Pelosi leaves. He said it was possible that China would take steps to further isolate Taiwan internationally. In recent years, China has lured several countries to recognize Taiwan as a state and cut it off from major international agencies such as the World Health Organization.
On Tuesday, Taiwan’s military said it would increase combat readiness in anticipation of a potential response from China.
— Paul Mozur and John Liu
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