A delegation of members of the United States Congress met with Taiwan’s president on Tuesday (21/2) as part of an ongoing visit to the island. The visit comes at a time of tension between the US and China, which have spent weeks accusing each other of spy balloons.
The group is one of many US delegations President Tsai Ing-wen has welcomed in recent years, even though China opposes such visits.
China claims the island republic as its own territory, and will take it by force if necessary.
Beijing has responded to foreign visits by holding large-scale military drills that are seen by some as rehearsals for a blockade or invasion.
President Tsai thanked US congressmen for their arrival. He said that now was an opportunity to deepen the ongoing cooperation in the design and manufacture of semiconductor chips, renewable energy and 5G Internet networks.
Tensions between the US and China escalated after Washington shot down a Chinese spy balloon that Beijing said was an unmanned weather balloon.
“We are here to affirm the shared values between the US and Taiwan — a commitment to democracy, a commitment to freedom,” said California lawmaker Ro Khanna. “The US under the leadership of President Biden seeks peace in the region.”
He was joined by Representatives Tony Gonzales of Texas, Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois.
Source: VOA Indonesia
