Members of the United States congress met Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and other lawmakers on Monday despite the warnings from China.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that their trip to the island nation is coming on the backdrop of China’s warning against visits by foreign government officials described as ‘external forces’.
The five-member delegation arrived on Sunday, less than two weeks after the visit of U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The team of Republicans and Democrats comprises Senator Ed Markey and Representatives John Garamendi, Alan Lowenthal, Don Beyer, and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen.
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‘I’m travelling to Taiwan with a bipartisan congressional delegation to reaffirm U.S. support for Taiwan and encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait’, Markey tweeted.
The lawmakers first entered the presidential office in Taipei and later walked into the neighbouring parliamentary building.
Lo Chih-cheng of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) disclosed that the future Taiwan-U.S. military cooperation and other issues were discussed.
The visit confirms China cannot prevent leading political figures from visiting Taiwan, the legislator noted.
“Their arrival also delivers an important message that American people are standing with Taiwanese people”, Lo told reporters.
Meanwhile, China condemns the presence of the American delegation in Taiwan which has had an independent government since 1949.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said the meetings undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China had last week mocked Taiwan for “seeking independence”, insisting the island nation remain its territory.
The government warned the leadership to stop collaborating with foreigners that may cause their death.
The foreign ministry reacted to the continued live-fire drills in Taiwan and the authorities’ comment that China is trying to intimidate its people.
Spokesperson Wang Wenbin accused Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership of an attempt to mislead the public.
