
WASHINGTON -- Deterring China's efforts to alter the status quo in the South and East China seas ultimately comes down to U.S. power. Whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan advances those efforts is questionable.
Her visit, against the advice of the military, may have brought forward the risk of a U.S.-China crisis when preparations in Taiwan and Japan are not yet adequate. In terms of what it aims to accomplish within the broader context of U.S.-China relations, Pelosi's visit is lacking in any apparent strategic component.