In recent news, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, led a bipartisan delegation of members of Congress on a visit to Taiwan starting on Sunday, May 26, until next Thursday, May 30. The visit was welcomed by the Presidential Office of Taiwan, with President Tsai Ing-wen scheduled to meet with the delegation on Monday, May 27.
During the visit, the delegation, led by Chairman McCaul, will meet with officials from the new Taiwan government to discuss regional security, trade, and investment issues, as well as explore new areas of cooperation between the United States and Taiwan, as stated in a press release by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The bipartisan delegation includes Democratic Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, Republican Congresswoman Young Kim, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, Democratic Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, and Republican Congressman Andy Barr.
McCaul emphasized the importance of the United States standing firm with its partners, citing ongoing conflicts such as Putin’s actions in Ukraine and Israel’s dealings with Iran-backed Hamas. He highlighted Taiwan as a flourishing democratic entity and expressed the U.S.’s commitment to maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait based on shared democratic values.
The American Institute in Taiwan also announced the delegation’s visit, mentioning that the members of Congress would meet with senior Taiwan leaders and members of civil society. The visit to Taiwan from May 26 to 30 is part of the lawmakers’ tour of the Indo-Pacific region.
Leading up to the visit by the U.S. congressional delegation, China conducted large-scale military exercises near Taiwan, seen as a pressure tactic against the new Taiwan government, drawing condemnation from Washington.
A spokesperson for the Presidential Office of Taiwan, Lee Wen, expressed gratitude for the bipartisan delegation’s visit and their support for the new government and people of Taiwan. President Tsai Ing-wen will meet with the delegation on the morning of May 27 to discuss regional peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as Taiwan-U.S. economic and trade relations.
Lee Wen emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to cooperation with like-minded countries to safeguard regional peace and security. He thanked the U.S. Congress for their support, particularly in advancing the “Taiwan-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Agreement” and looked forward to deeper cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. in maintaining peace and stability in the region, as well as defending the hard-won values of democracy and freedom.
President Tsai Ing-wen, speaking in Tainan on Sunday, expressed gratitude for the unwavering support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait from President Biden, the U.S. government, Congress, and the international community.
She stressed that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for global security and prosperity, urging both Chinese authorities and Taiwan to jointly bear the responsibility for regional stability.