Bonnie Glaser on Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan and how Beijing will retaliate

In yesterday’s episode of our new business TV show, Lizzi Lee interviewed Bonnie Glaser, the director of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund. Here are a few comments excerpted from Glaser’s remarks:

So I do want to say that I agree that the messaging from the Biden administration has at times been inconsistent on Taiwan. At times it has been confused…Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 himself has said there’s a gap between the words and deeds of the United States. And he is doubtful whether the United States does not support Taiwan independence. And it is against this background that the Pelosi visit is taking place, and that is why it is so dangerous.

…My expectation is this is not a 24-hour incident, that we will see China react over a period of days and weeks and maybe months, depending on the judgments they draw from this visit about U.S. intentions and about President Tsai’s policies.

…I am in favor of selling arms to Taiwan. I think that we must make sure that Xi Jinping wakes up every morning and says today’s not the day to invade Taiwan because the cost is too high.

And the cost is one that is created not just by U.S. military capability, but Taiwan’s ability to defend itself…So Taiwan has work to do itself. In addition to procuring the right weapons, it needs to revamp its reserve force, make that more effective.

Watch the whole interview on YouTube here.