Tonight, US-China tensions increase after House Speaker N.P’ arrival in Taiwan. The highest ranking American official in twenty-five years to visit the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. P was greeted on the tarmac at Taipei’s International Airport by Taiwan foreign minister and other Taiwanese and American government officials. In a statement upon arriving, P said the visit honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant democracy. China responded to the visit by putting its military on high alert and announcing a series of military demonstrations in the waters of Taiwan.

The guessing about P’s plan ended with this late night touched down in Taipei. The House Speaker was greeted by local officials, even hailed with a welcome message on Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper. But across the narrow Taiwan Strait, China responded, announcing new live fire military drills encircling Taiwan. And warning that the US would pay the price for undermining China’s interest. Here in Washington, the administration offers cautious backing for the trip, but they weren’t always so supportive. To reduce tensions, Speaker P’s flight path from Malaysia took her away from the Chinese mainland and the China’s south sea. The journey was tracked by nearly three million people online and earned her rara praise from Republicans back home. P isn’t the first lawmaker to visit Taiwan this year. But she is the first House Speaker to do so in twenty-five years. And she has been a thorn in China’s eyes since 1991 when she unfurled a prodemocracy banner in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. In an op-ed today, P said she made the trip because she quote “We cannot stand by as China proceeds to threaten Taiwan”. One of things the White House will be watching for is whether China tries to retaliate against the US or Taiwan economically. In fact, just today, China suddenly banned shipments from one hundred Taiwanese food exports.