Politics

US’ China committee chair arrives in Taiwan with delegation

Taipei, Feb 22 (EFE).- A delegation of five United States congressmen led by the head of the US House’s select committee on China began a three-day visit to Taiwan on Thursday, where they are to meet with the president and president-elect.

The delegation is led by Republican Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Last February he also visited Taiwan to meet with the President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and representatives of the business world.

“Time and again Taiwan has shown the world how to stand up to the CCP’s bullying and not only survive, but thrive,” Gallagher said in a statement.

During their stay, the three Republicans and two Democrats will hold meetings with Tsai and incumbent vice president and incoming leader William Lai (Lai Ching-te), and will also attend a dinner hosted by the foreign minister to discuss issues such as Taiwan-US relations and regional situations, state media outlet Focus Taiwan reported, citing the foreign ministry.

Since its creation at the beginning of last year, the China select committee has shown strong support for strengthening Taiwan’s security, it added.

The ministry expects the visit will deepen the “rock-solid” partnership between Taiwan and the US, strengthen their cooperation, and jointly defend rules-based international order.

Gallagher also said that during the visit, part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region, the delegation will meet with “senior Taiwan leaders and members of civil society to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, and other significant issues of mutual interest.”

“We are thrilled to be in Taipei to show our support for our friends in Taiwan, President-Elect Lai and the newly elected Legislative Yuan. The United States stands with Taiwan. By promoting deeper ties between our leaders and our economies we can enhance peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the Republican said.

The visit comes a month and a half after Taiwan’s presidential election, in which pro-sovereignty Lai prevailed over the opposition, closer to China, with 40 percent of the votes.

Since then, the island has received visits from several US politicians and former officials.

Visits by US representatives have been taking place regularly over the last two years and have continued even after the August 2022 visit of the then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei angered China and sparked a cross-Strait crisis.

Taiwan has been governed autonomously since 1949, although China claims sovereignty over the island, which it considers a rebel province, and has not ruled out use of force to achieve “reunification.” EFE

jacb/tw

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