Despite warnings from China, which considers the visit a serious provocation that risks inflaming already strained Sino-American relations, the head of the American deputies, Nancy Pelosi, landed in Taiwan on Tuesday.
Footage broadcast live on television showed Nancy Pelosi, 82, being greeted upon arrival by Joseph Wu, Taiwan's foreign minister.
She arrived at Songshan Airport on a US military plane.
Upon her arrival on Taiwanese soil, Nancy Pelosi said that her visit shows the "unconditional support" of the United States for the autonomous democratic island.
However, she added that this visit does not "contradict" American policy vis-à-vis China.
While the American military plane carrying Pelosi was en route to Taiwan, Chinese television reported that Chinese fighter jets were crossing "the Taiwan Strait".
Read alsoTaiwan: five minutes to understand the tensions between China and the United States
In the wake of Pelosi's arrival in Taiwan, Beijing denounced the "extremely dangerous" attitude of the United States.
"The United States (...) is trying to use Taiwan to contain China," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement, adding that Washington "continues to distort, obscure and empty sense the one-China principle, step up official exchanges with Taiwan, and encourage Taiwan's separatist independence activities.
These actions, like playing with fire, are extremely dangerous.”