Debunking Rumors Surrounding Nancy Pelosi’s Relationship With a Chinese Journalist

In 2022, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a diplomatic and political splash on her visit to Taiwan, prompting China's authorities to respond strongly. Pelosi met with parliamentarians from Taiwan and then with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan in two-morning sessions that were partially streamed live. During her discussion with Tsai, she assured that the United States would stand behind Taiwan in the face of Chinese threats. However, rumors and misinformation were also making the rounds, alongside valid points for and against the trip and US backing for Taiwan. 

As reported by DW, a picture that one user on X seemed to show Nancy Pelosi with the ex-editor-in-chief of China's Global Times newspaper. The caption along with the picture stated, "When they were young: Nancy Pelosi and Hu Xijin." However, according to the news source, the picture was altered; it was a composite of two previous images.

In the original, however, the young Nancy Pelosi is seen with her family rather than Xijin; Pelosi is the daughter of US congressman Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. "With family as a young girl," Pelosi captioned the photo she submitted to Flickr, where she appears in third from the left.

Additionally, the DW conducted forensic picture analysis and found varying color compositions, suggesting a change in pixel composition and, implying it had been manipulated. At the time, some people saw it as a parody, while others believed it was genuine. Moreover, Pelosi was 82 years old when these photos made a splash, whereas Hu Xijin was 20 years younger, which should have been the first red flag. 

While China warned that 'whoever plays with fire will get burned' in response to Pelosi's planned travel to Taiwan, Xijin tweeted that "Our fighter jets should deploy all obstructive tactics" if Pelosi went forward with the trip. "If those fail as well, I believe it is acceptable to shoot down Pelosi's plane as well," Reuters reported in July 2022. Taiwan, according to Communist China, is not a sovereign nation but rather a separatist province that lacks the authority to engage in diplomatic relations. 

As reported by the New York Times, the journey occurred at a time when the atmosphere was more charged. In response to the speaker's visit, Beijing announced intentions to conduct military exercises close to Taiwan, which was met with severe condemnation. Some observers speculated that the trip alienated important regional friends, which undermined the White House's efforts to rally support against China.

Additionally, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that the two governments were in touch given the sensitive nature of the visit, as per the BBC. "The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," Chunying added.