Taipei, Taiwan — A group of members of the US Congress met with Taiwan’s president on Thursday in a show of support sure to draw attention from China, which opposes such visits and sees them as a challenge to its claim to sovereignty over the island.
A visit by then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan two years ago resulted in China sending warships and military aircraft to all sides of the self-governing island democracy and firing ballistic missiles into nearby waters.
During a meeting Thursday with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Representative Mike Gallagher, the Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, emphasized bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan partnership, which he described as “stronger and more rock solid than ever.”
The US, like most countries, does not formally recognize Taiwan as a country, but maintains robust informal relations with the island and is bound by its own laws to provide the country with the weapons it needs to defend itself.
Gallagher thanked Tsai, who is nearing the end of her second and final term, for her leadership in Taiwan and for distinguishing herself “as a leader within the free world.”
Tsai thanked the US for continuing to help Taiwan strengthen its self-defense capabilities.
“Together we will protect freedom and democracy and maintain regional peace,” she said, adding that she hoped for more exchanges between the US and Taiwan in a range of areas.
The delegation, led by Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D.-Ill., was expected to be in Taiwan for three days as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region. Other members include Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich.; Dusty Johnson, RSD; and Seth Moulton, D-Mass.
The bipartisan delegation, made up of some of Congress’ staunchest critics of China, would meet with other senior Taiwanese leaders and members of civil society to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security and trade, among other issues of mutual concern. interest.
Krishnamoorthi said Taiwan is one of the United States’ “best friends” and a role model for democracy, after Lai Ching-te emerged victorious as Taiwan’s president-elect and pledged to win the island’s de facto independence from China safeguard and further align it with other countries. democracies.
“It is one of the most robust, most vibrant and one of the most exciting democracies in the world,” Krishnamoorthi said. “And this year, when half the world’s population goes to the polls to vote, you have provided a role model for how elections should be conducted, and for that we salute you for this peaceful transition of power, and you are an example. of democracy.”
Krishnamoorthi is the House Select Committee for the Chinese Communist Party’s top Democrat. The commission was established in 2023 and has held numerous hearings on human rights, trade, cyber intrusions and other issues at the center of rising tensions between the two superpowers.
Earlier in February, the Commerce Department announced that Mexico surpassed China as the top source of U.S. imported goods for the first time in more than two decades. In 2023, then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan’s president in a rare high-level meeting on US soil.
The expressions of support for Taiwan reflect the growing willingness of many in Congress to engage China on a range of issues as economic ties between the two countries deteriorate.
Taiwan was also part of the $95 billion aid package passed by the Senate on February 13, but has stalled in the House of Representatives. That package, which targeted Ukraine and Israel, included $1.9 billion to supplement U.S. weapons supplied to Taiwan. Another $3.3 billion would go toward building more U.S.-made submarines to support a security partnership with Australia and Britain.
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Freking reported from Washington.
