Pelosi confirms Asia tour but silent on possibility of Taiwan trip

The statement made no mention of whether the six-member delegation would visit Taiwan, a flashpoint in conversations between China and the United States in the run-up to the trip, AFP reported.

"The trip will focus on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region," Pelosi's office said in a statement.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry confirmed Pelosi's delegation would visit the city-state August 1-2, with meetings scheduled with President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

For weeks, US-China tensions had heightened over reports that Pelosi may visit the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory to be reunited by force if necessary.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a tense phone call.

The two leaders agreed to schedule their first in-person summit but disagreements over Taiwan clouded the conversation, with Xi making an oblique warning to the United States not to "play with fire" over the island.

In the latest warning from Beijing, Chinese air force spokesman Shen Jinke on Sunday said defending China's territory was the military's "sacred mission".

"The air force has firm determination, full confidence and sufficient capabilities to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Shen said, according to the state-run People's Daily.