Why Taiwan is the biggest flashpoint in the increasingly fraught US-China relationship

WASHINGTON – There’s no shortage of conflicts between the U.S. and China, a relationship that foreign policy analysts expect will define the 21st century. But an escalating confrontation over Taiwan is dialing up the tension.

A potential visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan comes as the U.S. has been sending new weapons to the self-governing island to help shore up its defenses against China’s increasing assertiveness toward what it views as a renegade province.

Pelosi's office on Sunday confirmed she's leading a congressional delegation to four stops in the Indo-Pacific region: Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. Taiwan was not mentioned in the statement.

During his own trip to Asia in May, President Joe Biden said the U.S. has a military commitment to defend Taiwan.

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