TAIPEI: The first group of United States lawmakers to visit Taiwan since President Lai Ching-te took office arrived on the island on Sunday (May 26) for a four-day visit.
The delegation – a bipartisan group of six members – is led by Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
They will meet Lai on Monday morning to “exchange views on peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific”, Taiwan’s presidential office said.
“Taiwan is a thriving democracy. The US will continue to stand by our steadfast partner and work to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” McCaul said in a statement.
On Sunday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te extended goodwill towards and offered cooperation with China following two days of Chinese war games near the island.
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, carried out the military drills on Thursday and Friday, calling them “punishment” after Lai’s inauguration speech on Monday which Beijing called another push for the island’s formal independence.
China has repeatedly lambasted Lai as a “separatist”. Lai rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future. He has repeatedly offered talks but has been rebuffed.
Speaking at a meeting of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the southern city of Tainan, Lai called on China to “share the heavy responsibility of regional stability with Taiwan”, according to comments provided by his party.
Lai, who won the election in January, said he also “looked forward to enhancing mutual understanding and reconciliation with China via exchanges and cooperation, creating mutual benefit and moving towards a position of peace and common prosperity”.
He thanked the US and other countries for their expressions of concern about the Chinese exercises.
“The international community will not accept any country creating waves in the Taiwan Strait and affecting regional stability,” Lai added.