Pelosi pledges solidarity with Taiwan amid alarm over China’s reaction | First Thing

Beijing reacts to House speaker's visit with outrage as Chinese military begin drills close to Taiwan. Plus, Batgirl gets cancelled

Good morning.

The US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has pledged America's crucial" solidarity with Taiwan, in a historic meeting with Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, who vowed not to back down in the face of military threats from China.

Why did she decide to visit? Our delegation came to Taiwan to make unequivocally clear we will not abandon Taiwan, and we are proud of our enduring friendship," Pelosi said.

What do Taiwanese Americans think of the media covering of her visit? To Taiwanese Americans, the hyperbolic tenor of the debate over Pelosi's visit is indicative of how little most Americans know or care about the people of Taiwan, with one calling it hoopla and yellow journalism".

What is the Order of Propitious Clouds? Pelosi was given Taiwan's highest civilian order during her visit to Taiwan, a symbol of America's strong and enduring friendship".

Will the abortion access issue affect the midterm elections? Possibly. The resounding win in Kansas came as a surprise in the deeply conservative state. The vote is viewed as a litmus test for the future of abortion access across the US.