The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is making a highly controversial visit to Taiwan.

She arrived there Tuesday evening local time. The visit comes just days after both the Chinese and U.S. presidents held a lengthy phone conversation in which China’s President Xi Jinping warned against any U.S. interference in Taiwan. Beijing sees the Pelosi visit as a provocation and has issued strong reaction. China’s Foreign Ministry responded with a statement.

Joining the discussion:

• Victor Gao is an international relations expert and is also Chair Professor at Soochow University.
• Josef Gregory Mahoney is Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University in Shanghai.
• Brian Becker is Executive Director of the ANSWER Coalition and host of “The Socialist Program” podcast.
• John Gong is Professor of Economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng summoned #US Ambassador to #China Nicholas Burns overnight to protest against #Pelosi's Taiwan visit, stressing the nature of the visit is extremely vicious & the consequence is very grave. China will not sit idly by. https://t.co/5oHcxILpMV pic.twitter.com/kNvxOlPv0t

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2022

#PLA started to commence joint drills surrounding Taiwan, featuring J-20 stealth fighter jets and test firing of conventional missiles that analysts said would fly over the island, right after #Pelosi's landing on the island late Tuesday. https://t.co/Y9MQoB3B2V

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2022