US House speaker Pelosi, delegation arrive in Malaysia

 

The United States House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi accompanied by a congressional delegation has arrived in Malaysia as part of an official visit to four Asian countries.

The special aircraft carrying Pelosi and her entourage touched down at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang at 10.33am amid tight security.

Upon arrival, Pelosi, 82, in a pink suit, and her delegation were greeted by Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon. Also present was US ambassador to Malaysia Brian D McFeeters.

It is Pelosi's maiden visit to Malaysia with Gregory Meeks, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also on the delegation list. Pelosi is number three in the line of US presidential succession and the only woman who has served as the speaker of the US House.

Kuala Lumpur is Pelosi’s second stop after Singapore yesterday before she heads to South Korea and Japan with her tour being closely watched to see if Taiwan is also on her itinerary.

She is expected to pay a courtesy call on Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun at the Parliament building at noon before adjourning for a luncheon meet with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob at a leading hotel in the capital.

"The trip will focus on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region," said an earlier press release from Pelosi’s office.

However, Pelosi’s office did not mention whether the speaker would visit Taiwan amid intense speculation that she might make a stopover on the island, a move that is set to draw China’s wrath as it views visits by US officials to Taiwan as sending an encouraging signal to the pro-independence camp in the island.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had said that in the event of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, Beijing will take decisive measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the US will be fully responsible for all the consequences resulting from the visit.

The United States established diplomatic ties with Malaysia in 1957 following the then Malaya's independence from Britain.

Washington and Kuala Lumpur elevated bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership in April 2014.

- Bernama