More US lawmakers arrive in Taiwan despite simmering tensions with China
On Sunday, a US congressional delegation led by Rep. Ed Markey landed in Taiwan, less than two weeks after China held a series of military drills in retaliation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island. During their two-day tour to the island, the five MPs are slated to see President Tsai Ing-wen, amid heightened ties between Beijing and Washington as a result of Pelosi’s visit and China’s strong posturing in the region.
Markey is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity. Representatives John Garamendi of the congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group and Representative Don Beyer will co-lead the tour, according to a Markey official.
A Taiwanese station displayed video of a US government jet landing at Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, about 7 p.m. Sunday. On the plane were four members of the delegation. The group will see President Tsai on Monday morning, according to Taiwan’s presidential office.
“Especially at a time when China is raising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the region with military exercises, Markey leading a delegation to visit Taiwan once again demonstrates the United States Congress’ firm support for Taiwan,” it said in a statement.
China considers self-governed Taiwan to be part of its sovereign territory and has stated that it will reunify the island – by force if necessary. China has prolonged military drills and sanctioned Pelosi and her entire family over her 19-hour visit to Taiwan earlier this month.
China’s embassy in Washington said on Sunday that “members of the U.S. Congress should act in consistence with the U.S. government’s one-China policy” and argued the latest congressional visit “once again proves that the U.S. does not want to see stability across the Taiwan Straits and has spared no effort to stir up a confrontation between the two sides and interfere in China’s internal affairs.”
