Xinhua Commentary: Pelosi's evil intentions behind toxic Taiwan stunt

BEIJING -- US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this week despite Beijing's strong opposition and stern representations.

Out of her self-interests, Pelosi staged such a pure political stunt. Insisting on going to the island, she apparently does not care about harming China-US ties, or putting peace across the Taiwan Strait on the line.

This unscrupulous farce has only laid bare in front of the international community the nature of Washington politicians: a bunch of egoists, opportunists and hypocrites, who prioritized their own political calculations ahead of and above everything else.

It is certainly not that Pelosi was not clearly aware of the fallout ahead. She just wanted to make global headlines. She has no regard for Washington's promises or due responsibilities in global affairs.

The sneaky visit has already stirred sharp criticism both inside the United States and around the world.

For sober minds worldwide, the move is merely a political gamble for the scandal-ridden Pelosi herself, and for the Democratic Party, whose outlook in the coming midterm elections does not augur well.

The China Times, a Taiwan-based Chinese-language daily, commented recently that Pelosi is using Taiwan as a bargaining chip for the Democratic Party's midterm race, which is "not only immoral, but also likely to generate terrible war risks."

"The intention of directly roasting Taiwan on the stove regardless of Taiwan's interests is really sinister," it argued.

US media have analyzed that with a visit to Taiwan, Pelosi intends to turn the tables for Democrats and deflect popular attention from the scandal of her family. Her husband Paul Pelosi has recently come under fire for a stock insider trading scandal and involvement in a drunk driving accident.

An experienced opportunist, Pelosi is clear-eyed about an anti-China countercurrent surging in US politics. She knows all too well how she can cash in on China-bashing or CPC-bashing for political gains.

Pelosi's provocative visit capped her three decades as a veteran China hawk, who has been at the forefront of Washington's anti-China campaigns.

In 2008, she urged then US President George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. In 2020, the US House of Representatives passed a so-called bill on Tibet-related issues, a gross interference in China's internal affairs. In 2021, she picked up the same old trick again by boycotting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

During her sneaky visit to Taiwan this time, she rehashed the unfounded "human rights" and "democracy" charges against Beijing.

As the third highest-ranking US government official, Pelosi has been bent on finding fault with other countries while turning a blind eye to the backsliding democracy and deteriorating human rights conditions back in her own country. What a ruthless hypocrite!

Within its borders, the United States has been plagued by ever rampant and bloody gun violence, a botched COVID-19 response leading to the death of more than 1 million Americans and deeply entrenched racism that can arbitrarily take away the lives of people like George Floyd.

Beyond, bloody wars and conflicts pushed by Washington have wreaked appalling havoc on Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, among other regions.

The world will not forget how back in 2019, she thumbed up to the disruptive, violent activities in Hong Kong as "a beautiful sight to behold," seeking to whitewash the illegal demonstrations and cheer up the anti-China rioters.

In fact, many in Taiwan are well aware of her hypocrisy and evil intentions. The local United Daily News reported that a recent poll showed 63 percent of Taiwan netizens clearly did not welcome her to the island.

Throughout her conscienceless political career, Pelosi believes nothing but political showmanship. In her eyes, politics is just a business. Although Washington does not lack such politicians, she is so much more prominent for being an egoist, opportunist and hypocrite at the same time.

While she was betting on her visit to Taiwan as a highlight moment of her political career, the world has already seen through the preposterous stunt as well as the true and ugly face of her and her like.