Taipei/Washington: A delegation of US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day trip during which they will meet President Tsai Ing-wen, the second high-level group to visit while there are military tensions between the self-ruled island and China.
Beijing, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted military drills around the island to express its anger over U S House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in early August. The de-facto US embassy in Taipei said the delegation is being led by senator Ed Markey, who is being accompanied by four House lawmakers on what it described as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
Taiwan’s presidential office said the group would meet Tsai. Markey leading a delegation to visit Taiwan once again demonstrates the United States Congress’ firm support for Taiwan,” it said.
Markey’s office said the lawmakers “will reaffirm US support for Taiwan as guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, US - China Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances”. The group will meet “elected leaders and members of private sector to discuss interests, including reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and expanding economic cooperation,” Markey’s office said.
