Politics

Washington ‘will not be bullied’ by Beijing, says senator in Taiwan

Beijing, Aug 26 (EFE).- United States senator Marsha Blackburn, who arrived in Taiwan late Thursday, said that her country will not be bullied by China, which she described as part of “the new axis of evil.”

The Republican politician, who also serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, arrived shortly before midnight at Taipei’s Songshan airport where she was received by Douglas Hsu, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs director general of the Department of North American Affairs.

“I just landed in Taiwan to send a message to Beijing — we will not be bullied,” she wrote on her Twitter account shortly after her arrival on the self-ruled island.

She added that the US “remains steadfast in preserving freedom around the globe, and will not tolerate efforts to undermine our nation and our allies.”

The senator continued with a string of tweets overnight and well into Friday morning.

“It’s time we focus on rewarding Taiwan’s commitment to democratic values and ensure they have the necessary resources to combat Communist China and the New Axis of Evil. That’s why I’m in Taiwan,” she wrote in one message.

In April 2021, she told Fox News Live that “What we know is China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are the new axis of evil.”

In other tweets Friday she wrote: “Taiwan is demonstrating strength and courage, and the Chinese Communist Party envies this,” “I will never kowtow to the Chinese Communist Party” and “Xi Jinping doesn’t scare me.”

The Taiwanese foreign ministry said that Blackburn is meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday and will attend a lunch offered by Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu. Her departure is scheduled for Saturday.

Blackburn’s visit comes amid heightened tension between China and the US over the recent visit to Taipei by US House Speaker and Democrat Nancy Pelosi, a visit that infuriated Beijing.

In retaliation, China imposed sanctions on Pelosi, suspended dialogue with the US in several important areas and carried out live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait.

This week, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb also passed through Taiwan, staying four days on the island and meeting with the president and with representatives of the semiconductor sector, according to local media.

China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and views it as a rebel province, and has not ruled out force to achieve “reunification.” EFE

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