Congressional delegation lands in Taiwan
- A Congressional delegation has arrived in Taiwan
- The democratic island has been a sore point in U.S.-China relations
- The visit comes after Biden referred to Xi as a dictator, angering China
FILE – Two soldiers lower the national flag during the daily flag ceremony on Liberty Square of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, July 30, 2022. A delegation of U.S. lawmakers met with the head of Taiwan’s legislature on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, as part of a five-day visit to the self-ruled island that comes as U.S.-China relations remain tense after weeks of trading accusations over a spy balloon. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File)
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(NewsNation) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers has arrived in Taiwan to meet with senior leaders, including President Tsai Ing-wen.
The delegation, led by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., has said the visit is part of a large tour of the Indo-Pacific and will last three days. It comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the U.S. and could further inflame tensions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently visited China, in a move that was meant to help stabilize relations between the two global powers. Shortly after that visit, however, President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator, drawing protests from the country.
Biden defended his remarks and said he still expects to meet with Xi in the future.
“I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, near-term. And I don’t think it’s had any real consequence,” he said.
China and the U.S. in recent years have been cycling in and out of diplomatic flare-ups. China has used measures ranging from cutting diplomatic ties to staging military maneuvers off Taiwan to show its displeasure.
Taiwan’s sovereignty has long been a sticking point in U.S.-China relations. The democratic island has governed itself independently for decades, but China considers Taiwan part of its territory. Officially, the U.S. follows a “One China” policy that recognizes Chinese authority over Taiwain, but Biden has previously said the U.S. would aid Taiwan if China were to invade.
In addition to being a democratically-ruled territory, Taiwan is also the leading producer of computer chips that power electronics around the world.
China recently warned it would increase military incursions near Taiwanese airspace if forces working for an independent Taiwan did not stand down. There have also been reports of Chinese spy balloons over Taiwan and Japan.
Previous Congressional visits to Taiwan have inflamed tensions with the U.S. and resulted in increased military exercises by Beijing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
