4 Aug 2022

Pelosi leaves Taiwan, tension ratchets up

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 4 August 2022
This handout taken and released by Taiwan's Presidential Office on August 3, 2022 shows US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (L) waving beside Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office in Taipei. (Photo by Handout / Taiwan Presidential Office / AFP) / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Photo: HANDOUT

The US House speaker Nancy Pelosi has left Taiwan, after a hugely controvertial visit that has seen tension between Beijing and Taipei reach new heights. In the last two hours, Taiwan has scrambled jets to warn off 27 Chinese warplanes in its defence zone. Nancy Pelosi is the most senior American politician to go to Taiwan in 25 years. But officially, the United States abides by the "One China" policy - a cornerstone of the two countries' diplomatic relationship which recognises only one Chinese government - and it has formal ties with Beijing and not Taiwan.

China is furious over the visit and has implemented what it calls "necessary" military drills in seas close to the island. Susie speaks with journalist Jeremy Goldkorn, editor-in-chief of SupChina and co-host of the Sinica podcast - both go-to sources of information and analysis for keen China watchers.