Another delegation of US lawmakers lands in Taiwan

ISTANBUL

The US on Thursday sent yet another delegation of senior lawmakers to self-ruled Taiwan led by Senator Lindsey Graham.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu received the delegation including senators Bob Menendez, Richard Burr, Rob Portman, Ben Sasse, and Congressman Ronny Jackson at the Taipei Songshan Airport.

“We wish our country’s good friends and rock-solid supporters a productive visit,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The US lawmakers flew in a military plane to the island nation, which sits across Taiwan Strait in southern China. The visit comes amid Russia’s war on Ukraine which has triggered renewed interest in observers as how China would deal with Taiwan, a home to over 24 million people.

During the brief trip to Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province, the US lawmakers will meet top Taiwanese officials including President Tsai Ing-wen and Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng.

American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s de facto embassy in Taipei, said in a statement the trip of the US lawmakers is “part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region.”

It said “the congressional delegation will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, and other significant issues of mutual interest.”

US lawmakers will return home on Friday evening. They flew to Taiwan from Australia on Thursday.

The trip comes amid reports sitting US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi was mulling to visit Taiwan after pre-scheduled trip to Japan which was later postponed since she tested positive for COVID-19.

Trips by US lawmakers and officials to Taiwan have increased in recent past as Washington continues to arm the island nation “to defend itself.”

The US formally recognized China in 1979 and shifted diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing, including Taiwan as part of mainland China.

The Taiwan Relations Act, enacted in 1979, has governed US-Taiwan relations. The Three Communiques, which are bilateral agreements with China, have also had an impact on relations.

Beijing has sharply reacted to trips by US officials and has insisted that Washington should snap any kind of official communication with Taipei in light of its “One China” principle.