Christian Smith
WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — A U.S. congressional delegation to Taiwan has pledged support and weapons to the autonomous island and its new president.
The lawmakers are the first U.S. officials to meet with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, just days after China held military exercises around the island in response to his inauguration.
The move comes as Taiwan continues to be a major source of tension between China and the US, as China considers the island as part of its own and describes Taiwan as a renegade province.
China: Trip sends the wrong signal
The delegation included four Republicans and two Democrats and was led by Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Last year, China sanctioned the Texas Republican after visiting Taiwan in April.
Lawmakers have pledged full support for the island, with Congress recently passing a massive security package that provides billions of dollars to help Taiwan defend itself.
“There should be no doubt, there should be no skepticism in the United States, in Taiwan or anywhere in the world, about American determination to maintain the status quo and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” said Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky. ., said at a press conference in the capital, Taipei, after the delegation met with Ching-te.
“America is and always will be a reliable partner, and no coercion or intimidation will slow or impede routine congressional visits to Taiwan,” McCaul said.
Meanwhile, China expressed anger over the US delegation’s trip to Taiwan, saying it harmed relations between the two countries and sent the wrong signal.
Later this week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to travel to Asia for a summit with regional leaders, including his counterpart in China.
China’s latest war games to ‘punish’ Taiwan
Beijing held two days of war games, surrounded the coast of Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait with warships and fighter jets, claiming this was the island’s “punishment” for “separatist acts”.
The US State Department closely monitored the military exercises, calling them “reckless” and “at risk of escalation”.
China has accused Taiwan’s new president of calling for independence.
Taiwan and China split after the 1949 civil war that brought Mao Zedong and his brand of communism to power. Since then, China has regarded Taiwan as a renegade province that should eventually be reunified.
China has refused to rule out using military force to do so.
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