Before Nancy Pelosi’s visit, Biden had quietly continued with Trump’s approach of upgrading its relationship with Taiwan as a strategic move against mainland China (PRC). Her visit was however a high profile event, and predictably provoked a reaction from Beijing which was unprecedented in scale and ferocity. Never before had People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces surrounded the whole island, sent fighter jets across the informal border between Taiwan and the mainland, and fired missiles flying over the island.