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Bloomberg
A bipartisan group of eight US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, bringing the number of congressional visits this year to the highest in at least a decade as shows of support for the island’s leadership have grown.
The delegation of two Democratic and six Republican members of the House of Representatives, led by Florida Democrat Stephanie Murphy, landed in Taipei as part of a bigger trip to the region, according to a statement by the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy. Murphy serves as vice-chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations.
The visit means 28 members of Congress will have traveled to Taiwan so far this year, the most since at least 2013. Bipartisan support for Taiwan is high as US politicians look to demonstrate their resolve in the face of what they see as China’s growing regional ambitions and fears that it might invade the island.
It’s the fourth US congressional delegation to touch down in Taipei since last month, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the first sitting speaker to visit in a quarter century. More than 40 lawmakers have visited Taiwan since US President Joe Biden took office. That compares with 35 during the previous four years under President Donald Trump, when the pandemic interrupted travel.
The delegation is scheduled to meet President Tsai Ing-wen during the trip, according to a statement from the foreign ministry in Taipei.