U.S. lawmakers visit Taiwan, plan to meet senior leaders

TAIPEI – Five U.S. lawmakers are successful Taiwan connected Friday successful a astonishment one-day visit, said the American Institute successful Taiwan, the de facto embassy.

The lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives arrived successful Taiwan connected Thursday nighttime and volition conscionable with elder leaders connected the island. No further details were provided astir their itinerary.

The sojourn comes arsenic tensions betwixt Taiwan and China person risen to their highest level successful decades. Taiwan has been self-ruled since the 2 sides divided during a civilian warfare successful 1949, but China considers the land portion of its ain territory.

“Just touched down successful the Republic of Taiwan,” tweeted Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina connected Thursday night, utilizing the island's unofficial name.

Representatives Mark Takano, D-Calif., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Colin Allred, D-Texas., Sara Jacobs, D-Calif. and Mace are each portion of the visiting delegation.

The travel comes conscionable a fewer weeks aft a radical of six Republican lawmakers visited the island. That legislature delegation met with President Tsai Ing-wen, National Security Secretary General Wellington Koo and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, among others.

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It’s the 3rd sojourn by U.S. lawmakers this year. In June, 3 members of Congress flew to Taiwan to donate severely needed vaccines astatine a clip erstwhile the land was struggling to get enough.

The Biden medication has besides invited Taiwan to a Summit for Democracy adjacent month, a determination that drew a crisp rebuke from China.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said connected Wednesday, "What the U.S. did proves that the alleged ideology is conscionable a pretext and instrumentality for it to prosecute geopolitical goals, suppress different countries, disagreement the world, service its ain involvement and support its hegemony successful the world.”

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