According to reports, a 5-man US congressional delegation landed in Taiwan on Monday, less than 14 days after the visit of the US Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi escalated ongoing tensions between the self-governing island and the Chinese government.
Driving the news
The statement by the American Institute in Taiwan stated that the purpose of the visit by the delegation led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) was to “discuss US – Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, global supply chains, climate change, and other significant issues.”
Quick catch-up
The US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan last Tuesday after the Foreign Ministry of the People’s Republic of China, had threatened to carry out military action if the US Speaker and her entourage dared to visit the country.
Nancy Pelosi, as part of a planned tour of US-friendly nations in Asia, visited the self-governing and democratic island of Taiwan, which Beijing views as a breakaway province that they would inevitably reclaim.
The Chinese government has since last Thursday been sending military ships and planes across the Taiwanese territories and even launched missiles over the island’s capital, Taipei.
These military drills have grounded flights and disrupted shipping activities in one of the top zones known for global trade.
What they are saying
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the visit of the US congressional delegation to the island, stating that this is regardless of the escalated activities of the Chinese army. The Ministry said that the visit proves the US commitment to Taiwan and that they are not “afraid of China’s threats and intimidation.” Meanwhile, a Chinese media outlet published an editorial urging the US to stop playing with fire.
What to watch
Would the US lawmakers’ second visit to Taiwan ignite a catastrophic reaction from China, seeing how its first visit escalated Chinese military drills on the island?
Time would prove whether Taiwan’s alignment with the US and the visit of its officials would prove helpful to the island or would have tragic repercussions.