American senator Duckworth in Taiwan as part of Indo-Pacific tour

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) United States Senator Tammy Duckworth is in Taiwan on her fourth visit since becoming a member of Congress in 2017, during which she will meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and other top officials to exchange views on regional security issues.

During her brief stay until Thursday, Duckworth will also meet with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visit various agencies to discuss defense, economic, and cross-Taiwan Strait issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release.

Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, Purple Heart recipient and former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, last visited Taiwan in May 2024 soon after President Lai and Vice President Hsiao were sworn in as Taiwan's new president and vice president.

She also announced a U.S. donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan during her June 2021 visit when Taiwan was in desperate need of vaccines at the height of the pandemic, MOFA said, praising her as a staunch supporter of Taiwan.

Duckworth's visit means there are currently three American delegations in Taiwan, the others being a delegation from the House of Representatives led by House Committee on Natural Resources chairman Bruce Westerman and one led by Guam Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero.

Meanwhile, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties, said in a separate press release Wednesday that Duckworth's group is visiting Taiwan as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region.

"The delegation will engage in a series of high-level meetings with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, and other significant issues of mutual interest," AIT said.