Ms Pelosi’s visit would add to a series of high-profile US delegations to Taipei in recent years and would be the most significant trip to take place under the Biden administration. 

“Each and every visit of an elected American official brings with it a measure of hope and reassurance to Taipei. In these dark times, that matters a great deal,” said Ian Easton, a China affairs analyst with the Project 2049 Institute.

In early March, a delegation led by Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was widely viewed as a message of support to Taipei amid growing tensions between the West and Russia and China over the crisis in Ukraine. 

Peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region have “never been more important,” he said as he met with President Tsai. 

“We come to Taiwan at a very difficult and critical moment in world history,” he said. “Now more than ever, democracy needs champions.”

Washington does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, but it views the strategically located island as a key democratic partner in its Indo-Pacific doctrine and in curbing China’s military ambitions in the region. 

On Wednesday, Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, said Washington was prepared to impose sanctions against China if Beijing moves aggressively toward Taiwan. 

“I believe we’ve shown that we can in the case of Russia,” she said. “I think you should not doubt our ability to resolve to do the same in other situations.”

But Rupert Hammond-Chambers, President of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said that while the speaker’s visit was “an important development,” the Biden administration should step up its engagement by sending assistant secretaries and other senior officials. 

“It’s good to see Pelosi making the trip but it still rings somewhat hollow in the reticence of the Biden administration to lean into the Taiwan relationship,” he said.