Delegation from U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee arrives in Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 29 (CNA) United States Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, arrived in Taiwan on Friday for a visit that will include a meeting with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) later the same day.

"We are delighted to be here as part of an American delegation to reinforce and emphasize the great partnership that the United States and Taiwan have, and will continue to have in the future," Wicker told reporters shortly after landing at Taipei Songshan Airport.

Wicker was accompanied by Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), who also serves on the committee.

"We stand here to re-emphasize the partnership and the security friendship" between the U.S. and Taiwan, he added.

The visit comes shortly after Taiwan's Cabinet proposed a 2026 defense budget that would exceed 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), pending legislative approval. Lai has also pledged to raise the figure to 5 percent by 2030.

Fischer, meanwhile, said the delegation would discuss "security, opportunities and progress" in the Indo-Pacific region with Taiwanese authorities.

"At a time of global unrest, it is extremely significant for us to be here and to continue to meet with Taiwan government officials," she added.

According to Fischer, she and Wicker are in Taiwan as part of a broader trip that also included stops in Hawaii, Guam, Palau and the Philippines.

It remains unclear how long the delegation will stay in Taiwan.