The United States Congressional-Executive Commission on China (USCC) visited Taiwan and met with Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council, Wu Zhaoxie on the 25th. Wu Zhaoxie expressed hope that USCC could exert its influence, encourage the United States and other like-minded countries to jointly condemn the Chinese Communist Party’s legal warfare and actions in the gray areas that pose threats to regional and global order.
According to a press release from Taiwan’s National Security Council, the USCC delegation, led by Chairman Robin Cleveland, consisting of 9 members, visited the Presidential Office accompanied by personnel from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 25th. Both sides exchanged views on regional and global security situations.
Wu Zhaoxie pointed out that USCC members are appointed directly by leaders of both parties in the U.S. Congress and submit reports annually to Congress on U.S.-China bilateral economic, trade, and security relations. The reports are highly valued by U.S. congressional leaders, and he himself is a faithful reader of USCC reports. He expressed delight at the opportunity to have face-to-face exchanges with the committee members.
Wu Zhaoxie warned the visitors that in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has weaponized its domestic legislation as a means of authoritarian expansion. Following the recent addition of the 3rd order to the “Maritime Police Law,” authorizing the detention of foreign individuals and ships for up to 60 days without trial, the CCP issued a set of 22 “opinions” last Friday aimed at harshly punishing supporters of Taiwanese independence. This not only puts Taiwanese citizens at risk but also exposes international friends who support Taiwan’s international participation and defense resilience to the CCP’s judicial risks.
He echoed President Lai Ching-te’s emphasis during a press conference on the 24th that “democracy is not a crime; tyranny is evil,” stressing that the CCP has no authority to punish the Taiwanese people and has no jurisdiction to prosecute them across borders. He hoped that USCC would leverage its influence to encourage the United States and other like-minded countries to jointly condemn the CCP’s legal warfare and the grey area harassment based on its domestic legislation, which poses threats to regional and global order.
The delegation stated that the purpose of this visit was to understand the Taiwanese government’s observations on recent U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, acknowledging the importance of strengthening economic and security cooperation between Taiwan and the United States to safeguard regional peace and stability. Last year, the USCC’s annual report included several pro-Taiwan recommendations, such as expanding training locations for Taiwanese troops in the United States, presenting an economic impact report on China’s blockade against Taiwan by the State Department, as well as enhancing joint efforts between Taiwan and the U.S. in countering Chinese disinformation and cyber attacks similar to the “NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.”
The delegation also included USCC Vice Chairman Reva Price, Princeton University Professor Aaron Friedberg, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randy Schriver.