Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

The visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan on Wednesday should be seen as a watershed development in the relationship between Taiwan and the US. The visit assumed significance not only because Pelosi’s presence in Taipei burst the bubble of Chinese military hype regarding Taiwan and the US, but also because it renewed the US’ commitment to helping Taiwan protect its independent national identity.

It was in this context that speaking at an event alongside President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Pelosi said: “Now, more than ever, America’s solidarity with Taiwan is crucial, that’s the message we bring in today.”

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has set a new milestone for Taiwan-US relations, and introduced new economic possibilities and challenges.

Before Pelosi’s arrival, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) chairman Mark Liu (劉德音) — who had not spoken about politics until that point — talked to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview. Asked about a Chinese invasion and Taiwan’s role in the global semiconductor supply chain, Liu said: “Chip supply is a critical business in Taiwan, but had there been a war in Taiwan, probably the chip is not the most important thing we should worry about, because this invasion is destruction of the world rules-based order — the geopolitical landscape would completely change.”