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US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi is beginning a tour of Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, with no mention of a possible visit to Taiwan. She is leading a Congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific, according to a statement released by her office on Sunday. The statement made no mention of Taiwan, despite speculation in recent days that Pelosi might be planning to visit the self-governing democracy of 24 million people.

No high-ranking US elected official has visited Taiwan in 25 years. Ms. Pelosi, a California Democrat, tweeted that the six-person Congressional delegation tour would seek to “reaffirm America’s unshakeable commitment to our allies and friends in the region”.