Cross Taiwan redline and risk ruining ties with the mainland

Leaders and politicians the world over know that Taiwan is a part of China and that both the Chinese mainland and the Taiwan island belong to one country, though there are exceptions such as former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a recent Australian Broadcasting Corporation program, Pelosi lashed out at former Australian prime minister Paul Keating for saying Taiwan is a part of China and Australia should not get deeply involved in the China-containment strategy of the United States on the Taiwan question. Earlier, in the same ABC program, Keating had said that the US says it wants to protect Taiwan, but the fact is that the island is China's territory. He also warned that once war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the US will not fight with all its strength and when it pulls out suddenly, Australia will have to bear all the consequences for its involvement on the issue.

Keating's remarks triggered Pelosi's dissatisfaction. She claimed such words were "stupid and ridiculous" and not in the security interests of the Asia-Pacific region. Keating struck back, saying Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in 2022 was "reckless and capricious" and threatened to trigger a military confrontation between the US and China. In fact, President Joe Biden and the Pentagon had to warn Pelosi about the military risks involved in her visit, he said.