A congressional delegation traveled to Taiwan on Monday to meet with the newly elected President William Lai Ching-te. During the visit, they expressed their unwavering support for the island nation amidst the escalating tensions with China.
According to The Associated Press, Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), co-chair of the Taiwan caucus, stated that the United States is dedicated to providing diplomatic and economic support to Taiwan’s military.
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During a press conference in Taipei after his meeting with Lai, Barr emphasized the unwavering determination of the United States to uphold the status quo and promote peace in the Taiwan Strait. He expressed his belief that there should be no doubts or skepticism in the minds of people from the United States, Taiwan, or any other part of the world regarding American resolve in this matter.
China recently initiated a series of military exercises near Taiwan, soon after the island’s new leader, Lai, took office. In his inaugural address, Lai was accused by China of exacerbating tensions. Consequently, China embarked on military drills involving ships and aircraft.
According to the AP, Lai referred to the visit of the U.S. delegation as a significant gesture of solidarity during a crucial period.
Reps. Young Kim (R-Calif.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.) embarked on the trip alongside Rep. Michael McCaul, who serves as the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The visit comes after the approval of a military aid bill that provides financial assistance to countries in need, such as Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
During a press conference on Monday, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, expressed strong opposition to the visit by the lawmakers. He emphasized that China firmly opposes the trip and has lodged serious protests with the United States.
“China strongly opposes the military agreement between the US and Taiwan and any efforts to arm Taiwan,” Mao asserted. “We call on the US Congress members involved to refrain from utilizing the ‘Taiwan card,’ cease interfering in China’s internal matters, end their support for and tolerance of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist factions, and halt their actions that undermine China-US relations and the peaceful stability of the cross-Strait region.”
Lai emerged victorious in the January election by advocating for stronger ties with Washington, even though the U.S. does not officially acknowledge Taiwan as an independent country due to its one China policy.
China issued a warning in January, stating that it would not make any concessions or compromises regarding the self-governing nation.
The Biden administration expressed significant concern over the drills and issued a warning to China, urging them to exercise restraint. In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense emphasized that these military exercises are posing a threat to the peace and stability of the region.
Earlier this year, U.S. Adm. John Aquilino, who leads the Indo-Pacific Command, stated that China’s military is poised to invade Taiwan by 2027, based on “all indications.” He emphasized that China would first attempt to reunify with Taiwan through non-military methods, but military force remains a possibility if other approaches prove unsuccessful.
