House Speaker defies Chinese warnings NOT to travel to Taiwan as she becomes the most high profile US politician to visit contested island in decades.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lands in Taiwan

A visit to Taiwan by Pelosi, who is second in the line of succession to the U.S. presidency and a long-time critic of China, comes amid worsening ties between Washington and Beijing.

Her Air Force plane – with its distinctive blue and white colors and American flag on the tail – touched down in Taipei at 10:45 pm local time.

She disembarked at 10:53 pm, wearing a pink pants suit and white face mask. A contingent of Taiwan officials, including Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, greeted her on the tarmac.

Crowds of Taipei residents have gathered to watch her plane arrive at Taipei Songshan Airport around 10:43 local time.