Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the USA Home of Representatives, has visited Taiwan, regardless of warnings of extreme penalties from China which claims the self-ruling island as its personal.

Pelosi, second in line to the presidency, is the highest-profile elected US official to go to Taiwan in 25 years. Beijing has made clear that it regards her presence in Taiwan as a significant provocation, setting the area on edge.

China’s navy stated it was on “excessive alert” and would “launch a collection of focused navy actions in response” to the go to.

Taiwan stated the journey displayed “rock strong” help from Washington.