US congressional delegation visits Taiwan as tensions with China continue to simmer

A delegation of US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day visit, in which they will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

The visit comes just 12 days after the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, traveled to the island, angering neighboring China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory.

China described the move as a “blatant provocation,” and carried out a series of threatening military drills in waters off Taiwan.

China released its first white paper on the island in 22 years, drawing far more red lines than previous publications from 1993 and 2000. The document does not rule out the use of force to achieve reunification.

The Chinese government also canceled high-level military meetings with the United States, and suspended dialogue with the US on a number of issues ranging from military relations to climate change.

The delegation of lawmakers that arrived on Thursday is led by Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey, who is accompanied by three Democratic House members and one Republican.

The visit is part of a broader tour to the Indo-Pacific region, as reported by the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto Embassy of the United States on the island.

More information

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan revives the debate on international recognition of the island

“The delegation will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, global supply chains, climate change, and other significant issues of mutual interest,” the American Institute in Taiwan said in a statement.

Taiwan's presidential office said the group will meet with Tsai on Monday.

“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.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry released photos of the four-members delegation at Songshan Airport in central Taipei.

Pelosi visited Taiwan against the advice of the White House, but US President Joe Biden has been careful not to criticize her, saying simply that she had the right to go.

When asked about Pelosi's visit to her, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, insisted on that the speaker of the House was following White House rules.

“Speaker Pelosi makes her own decisions, as other members of Congress do, about her overseas travel,” she said.

“We're going to reiterate this: It was her right from her to go from her.

There was precedence for this.

As we know, Newt Gingrich, when he was speaker, went a generation ago.

And again, it does not change our policy, our One China policy.

It does not change any of that.”

Under the One China policy, the United States does not legally recognize Taiwan's independence, but promotes peaceful dialogue to resolve differences.

Meanwhile, China continues to pressure the island.

Last weekend, Taipei said that Chinese fighters crossed the eastern side of the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

The median line in the narrow strait between the island of Taiwan and mainland China is an unofficial line of control that military aircraft and battleships from either side normally do not cross.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that it had detected 22 Chinese planes and six Chinese ships in and around the strait.

On Monday, the

reported that the Chinese army had started live drills around Taiwan.

Washington announced on Friday that it will strengthen its trade relations with Taiwan and will continue to use air and sea routes across the Taiwan Strait.

China has overreacted, and its actions continue to be provocative, destabilizing, and unprecedented,” said Kurt Campbell, deputy assistant to the president.

“China's actions are fundamentally at odds with the goal of peace and stability.

They are part of an intensified pressure campaign against Taiwan, which has not ended, and we expect it to continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months.

The goal of this campaign is clear: to intimidate and coerce Taiwan and undermine its resilience.”