U.S. Congressional delegation arrives in Taiwan for two-day visit

08/14/2022 08:42 PM

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From left: Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Congressman John Garamendi, Director-General Mr. Douglas Yu-Tien Hsu of the Department of North American Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Congressman Don and Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Taipei, Aug. 14 (CNA) A U.S. Congressional delegation led by Democratic Senator Ed Markey arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day visit that will involve meetings with top-level Taiwanese officials.

In a press release, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said the other members of the delegation are representatives John Garamendi (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA) and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS).

Their two-day visit is part of a larger visit to the Asia-Pacific region, the AIT said, and will include meetings with senior Taiwan leaders to "discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, global supply chains, climate change, and other significant issues of mutual interest."

In a statement, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed the bipartisan and bicameral delegation, which it said demonstrated the United States' firm support amid China's recent escalation of regional tensions.

During the delegation's visit, the U.S. lawmakers will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), attend a banquet with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and visit the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee to discuss Taiwan-U.S. security and economic relations, MOFA said.

Meanwhile, Presidential Office Spokesperson Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said that the visit "once again demonstrated the U.S. Congress' resolute support for Taiwan," as well as its commitment to working with democratic partners to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region.

The delegation's trip comes less than two weeks after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi concluded a 19-hour visit to the island on Aug. 3, the first visit by a sitting U.S. House speaker since 1997.

In an apparent response to that trip, Beijing launched an unprecedented set of live-fire military drills in six maritime zones encircling Taiwan from Aug. 4. to Aug. 7

(By Huang Ya-shih and Matthew Mazzetta)

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