“It’s crucial that we demonstrate robust support for Taiwan. It serves as a deterrent,” stated Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday, shortly after the island’s new president assumed office with a stern message to China to halt its threats.
The delegation, comprising six House members, marks the first visit by current U.S. officials to meet with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. Their arrival followed two days of “punishment” drills conducted by China around the island in response to what it termed as “separatist acts.”
“I think it’s very important that we show our strong support for Taiwan. I think it is a deterrent,” remarked Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, prior to their arrival.
Led by McCaul, the delegation includes Reps. Young Kim, R-Calif., Joe Wilson, R-S.C., Andy Barr, R-Ky., Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.
Although visits by lawmakers from the United States and other nations to Taiwan are routine, China perceives such trips as provocative and supportive of “Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
Lai, 65, who served as the island’s vice president for the past four years, has emphasized maintaining the status quo, neither officially declaring independence nor aligning with China.
Expressing gratitude for the support from the U.S. and other nations, Lai expressed his eagerness to foster mutual understanding and reconciliation with China through exchanges and cooperation.
During their stay in Taipei, the U.S. lawmakers plan to engage with senior Taiwanese officials to grasp the new administration’s priorities and objectives, according to a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Committee.
They will also meet with officials from the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy, to oversee and discuss the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, which lacks formal diplomatic ties but relies on the U.S. for defensive weaponry and international backing.
China has not ruled out the use of force to unify with Taiwan, which refutes Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Cross-strait relations deteriorated under Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, with China intensifying military and other pressures on the island.
In his inaugural address, Lai urged China to halt its political and military threats against democratic Taiwan, emphasizing its role as a “front-line guardian of world peace.”
Amidst China’s military exercises near Taiwan, the island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed its commitment to upholding democracy despite coercion or suppression.
The lawmakers’ visit coincides with Congress’s recent approval of approximately $2 billion in military aid for Taiwan to bolster its defense capabilities against China.
Alexander Yui, Taiwan’s new representative to the U.S., underscored the significance of the delegation’s visit in demonstrating global solidarity with Taiwan and countering external pressures.