Pelosi defends Taiwan visit amid China tensions: ‘Never give in to autocrats’

We cannot stand by as China proceeds to threaten Taiwan,' says speaker in op-ed, but trip poses diplomatic headache for Biden

Having landed in Taiwan amid soaring tensions with China's military, the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, defended her controversial trip to the self-ruling island, saying she was making clear that American leaders never give in to autocrats" in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post.

We cannot stand by as [China] proceeds to threaten Taiwan - and democracy itself," said Pelosi's piece, published just as the veteran California congresswoman's plane touched down on Tuesday. Indeed, we take this trip at a time when the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy."