MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government on Tuesday, August 2, urged the United States and China to continue dialogue as US Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to visit Taiwan this week, drawing the prospect of increased tensions between the two powers. 

Pelosi, who is currently leading a congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region, planned to make stops in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan for high-level meetings. A recent statement from her office made no mention of Taiwan, but reports from the US indicated that officials from the Biden administration expected Pelosi to include a stop in the self-governing island. 

The Financial Times had also reported that Pelosi planned to meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen on Wednesday, August 2, citing three people “familiar with the situation.” 

While the US official will make no visit to the Philippines, many eyes in Manila are nonetheless on the trip, with rumors swirling over the possibility that Pelosi may head to Taiwan by passing through Clark in Pampanga. The Philippines has an international airport in the area, as well as an airbase that US military has access to under a defense deal. 

Pressed for comment, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it was “closely monitoring developments” related to Pelosi’s visit. 

“The Philippines is closely monitoring developments in this regard. It is important for the US and China to ensure continuing communication to avoid any miscalculation and further escalation of tensions,” the DFA said.  

“We trust that China and the United States will be responsible actors in the region,” it added in a statement. 

Later on Tuesday afternoon, DFA Spokesperson Teresita Daza said the agency did not receive any request related to Pelosi’s travel. 

“The DFA has not received any request from the US government or their embassy in Manila for Speaker Pelosi to transit and/or visit the Philippines as part of her current swing of visits to the region,” she said. 

Reporters in the US and Taiwan tracked that Pelosi’s flight would likely take off from Malaysia, while China’s Fujian province, located directly across a strait from Taiwan, announced a reduction in civilian air traffic.

Pelosi’s Asia tour comes as China warned that her visit to Taiwan could provoke “serious consequences.” China’s foreign ministry likewise earlier quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping warning the US against playing with fire in a call with President Joe Biden. 

Should Pelosi’s visit push through, she would be the most senior US official to visit the island in 25 years since then-US speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997. As Xi earlier vowed to unify Taiwan with China, Beijing considers visits to the island by US officials as an offense to that claim. 

Concerns over raised tensions between the US and China in Taiwan reverberate in the Philippines, which shares a sea border with Taiwan off the north of Luzon. – Rappler.com