A delegation including five U.S. legislators landed in the independent island nation of Taiwan Sunday in an unannounced high-level visit.
The delegation, led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is scheduled to conduct several meetings with Taiwanese officials, according to a Fox News report. This uncontested visit contrasts with raised tension in the region that accompanied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s prepublicized visit that ended August 2.
Her visit generated an angry response from China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory. The communist mainland People’s Republic of China has never renounced using force to bring Taiwan back under its control. No official comment has been made so far about Markey’s visit, according to the Fox report.
PRC military forces held extensive live-fire exercises near Taiwan following Pelosi’s visit to the democratically run island.
The Communist regime argues such top-level visits violate the U.S. “One China” policy, which recognizes the PRC as the one and only government of China.
“We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means,” explains a U.S. Department of State fact sheet about U.S. relations with China.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is committed to helping Taiwan defend itself. Taiwan purchases most of its defense weaponry and aircraft from the United States, despite PRC protests.
Other delegation members to the besieged island include Democratic Reps. John Garamendi and Alan Lowenthal of California, Don Beyer of Virginia and Republican Rep. Amata Radewagen of American Samoa.
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