'WW3' Trends Again As Nancy Pelosi Heads To Taiwan And Chinese PLA Soldiers Head To The Coast

August 1st, 2022 - 10:42 AM EDT by Aidan Walker

3 comments | Contact Newsroom

A map showing the position of the US fleet in the Pacific, a tweet commenting on Pelosi's travels, Pelosi.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a Congressional delegation are heading to Taiwan this week as part of a tour of American-allied countries in Asia, and the mainland Chinese government has been saber-rattling in response to her trip.

As a result, World War III memes are once again trending online as posters confront the possibility of war.


The People’s Republic of China has claimed since 1949 that Taiwan (also called the Republic of China) is not an independent country and rightfully belongs to it. The island was separated from the mainland in 1949 after leader Chiang Kai-Shek lost the Chinese Civil War to the Communists and set up a government-in-exile on the island.

The United States has maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the question of whether it would defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese attack. Since Nixon regularized relations with China, the U.S. has also declined to recognize Taiwan as its own country.

Taiwan is a delicate topic for the Chinese government, which is known to intimidate and pressure individuals, other countries and organizations to support its claims about the territory. Most countries don’t recognize Taiwan as sovereign, even though it has had its own government independent from the mainland for decades.

Many Americans who dislike Pelosi (particularly those on the right) posted memes and commentary criticizing her visit. Often, these criticisms centered on a media narrative that Pelosi wants to profit from the war, loosely connected to accusations of insider trading leveled against the Speaker and her husband and related to the Senatorial Insider Trading Scandal.


Many criticized Pelosi for foreign policy reasons, arguing that her trip to Taiwan might unnecessarily provoke China. Joe Biden, who stated the U.S. military doesn't think now is a good time for Pelosi's trip, is rumored to be in this camp. Others argue that Pelosi’s trip is a necessary show of American resolve and support for Taiwan. The country is important not just as an ally in the region, but as a crucial part of global supply chains, particularly for computer chips.


The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has made some of its own posts in response to Pelosi’s trip, publishing a video showing off its hardware on WeChat. Earlier, the People’s Liberation Army vowed to "not stand idly by” as Pelosi visited Taiwan.


Both the U.S. and China are reportedly moving military assets around in the region. Like in Russia during the invasion of Ukraine, many civilian videos showing artillery, tanks and trucks moving along roads in China have been posted online.


The Chinese and Americans flexing military muscle around Taiwan is nothing new, but there is always a chance for escalation — and many analysts worry China may feel emboldened to try and take Taiwan.




+ Add a Comment

Comments (3)


Display Comments

Add a Comment


Hey! You must login or signup first!