(NationalUSNews.com) — International tensions between China and Taiwan are at an all-time high, prompting United States lawmakers to reaffirm the country’s promise to protect Taiwan from a potential China-led attack. The most recent affirmation of the United States’s promise to support Taiwan came from a delegation of Congressmen who visited the island nation and assured Taiwan’s new president that the United States would provide armaments to Taiwan’s government.
The delegation visit occurred just days after China’s military performed several drills in the ocean surrounding Taiwan, prompting Taiwanese officials to fear that China was preparing for a future invasion. Taiwan’s government also expressed its belief that China performed the military exercises in response to the country’s newest president, Lai Ching-te. The congressional delegation met with Lai to confirm that the United States would move forward with its plan to provide Taiwan with approximately two billion dollars worth of weaponry, included in a recently passed aid package.
The delegation featured multiple House Foreign Affairs Committee lawmakers, including Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas), the committee’s chair. McCaul held a news conference after the delegation met with Lai, claiming that the United States’ support of Taiwan was critical to the island nation’s future. McCaul also said that he’d like the United States to provide the weapons to Taiwan quickly during the press conference. While Taiwan is receiving the majority of the weaponry featured in the aid package, other United States allies in the region are also included in the weapon distribution plans.
The congressional delegation isn’t the first instance of United States lawmakers visiting Taiwan to express the White House’s support, as similar delegations have visited the island nation over the past few years, including a visit from Representative Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California.) Pelosi’s visit immediately prompted China’s government to release a statement criticizing the United States. China also started performing military drills in the region during Pelosi’s visit, likely intended as a show of strength.
The congressional delegation visit also featured discussions about Taiwan’s security and economy, with McCaul and Lai discussing various ways the United States could collaborate with Taiwan’s government. When talking about his meeting with Lai, McCaul said that he hoped other nations would consider the meeting proof of the partnership between Taiwan and the United States.
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