US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leaves an event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. Pelosi has kicked off an Asia tour that has been shrouded in secrecy following an escalation in tensions with China over Taiwan. Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan its territory -- to be seized one day, by force if necessary -- and said it would regard a Pelosi visit as a major provocation. With no word on whether she will visit the island, she stopped first in Singapore. IMAGES