Decoding the strategic implications of Pelosis visit for the U.S., China and Taiwan | In Focus podcast
Taiwan has for long been a flashpoint in US-China relations. The visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi once again ratcheted up tensions between the two big powers.\nDespite China making its displeasure clear in the strongest terms \u2013 or perhaps because of it \u2013 Pelosi went ahead with her visit. China condemned her visit as \u201cextremely dangerous\u201d. It has also launched aggressive military drills that encroach on Taiwan\u2019s territorial waters. The Chinese Communist Party has made no secret of its intention to integrate Taiwan with the People\u2019s Republic of China. The U.S., while formally claiming to respect the \u2018One China\u2019 policy, has indicated it may respond with force if China undertook any military action against Taiwan. But with China aspiring to achieve \u2013 if not surpass \u2013 military parity with the US, how long can the current equilibrium hold? Has Pelosi\u2019s visit raised the stakes in Taiwan for both China and the U.S.? What are the likely long-term consequences of China\u2019s unprecedented military drills that effectively encircled Taiwan?\nGuest: Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu\u2019s China correspondent.\nHost: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu\nEdited by Reenu Cyriac