Joe Biden on July 20 in Somerset, Mass. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
President Biden weighed in on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reported trip to Taiwan, saying on Wednesday that military officials currently advise against it.
Driving the news: “Well, I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the status of it is," Biden said when asked his opinion on the trip, per a White House pool report.
State of play: Pelosi plans to lead a delegation to the island nation in August, according to the Financial Times, though her office wouldn't confirm the trip on account of security protocols.
- The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned this week that China would be forced to take "strong and resolute measures" if Pelosi were to follow through with her plans.
What they're saying: "I don't ever discuss my travel plans. ... It's a security issue. You'll never even hear me say if I'm going to London, because it is a security issue," Pelosi said on Thursday at a press briefing.
- "I think that it's important for us to show support for Taiwan," she said, adding that "none of us has ever said that we're for independence when it comes to Taiwan, that's up to Taiwan to decide."
The big picture: Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to take control of the self-governing island, by force if necessary.
- CIA Director Bill Burns told the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Wednesday that he "wouldn't underestimate" China's desire to assert control over Taiwan, but said that he doesn't believe an invasion to be imminent.
Go deeper: Pressure grows for Taiwan to boost its defense force