Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey arrived in Taiwan on Sunday to “encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” lower than two weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s go to angered China and sparked “provocative” army drills.
Markey led a congressional delegation to the self-governing island as half of a bigger journey to Asia. The Bay State senator is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Subcommittee.
“I’m traveling to Taiwan with a bipartisan congressional delegation to reaffirm US support for Taiwan and encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” Markey tweeted on Sunday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Taiwan tweeted out a photograph of Markey shaking arms with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yui.
“Vice Minister Yui extended the warmest of welcomes to #Taiwan’s longstanding friend @SenMarkey & his cross-party delegation comprising @RepGaramendi, @RepLowenthal, @RepDonBeyer & @RepAmata,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted. “We thank the like-minded #US lawmakers for the timely visit & unwavering support.”
Following Pelosi’s journey to Taiwan earlier this month, China despatched missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and skies round Taiwan for a number of days. The Chinese authorities objects to Taiwan having any official contact with international governments, notably with a high-ranking congressional chief like Pelosi.
Markey on Sunday was joined by House colleagues, together with co-leaders of the congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group Congressmen John Garamendi and Don Beyer, in addition to Congressman Alan Lowenthal and Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen.
“On their visit, the delegation will reaffirm the United States’ support for Taiwan as guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances, and will encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” a spokesperson for Markey stated in an announcement.
“The group will meet with elected leaders and members of the private sector to discuss shared interests including reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and expanding economic cooperation, including investments in semiconductors,” the spokesperson added.
Chinese warplanes have continued crossing the midpoint of the Taiwan Strait every day even after the conclusion of the army workouts final Wednesday, with at the very least 10 doing so on Sunday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry stated.
A senior White House official on Asia coverage stated late final week that China had used Pelosi’s go to as a pretext to launch an intensified stress marketing campaign towards Taiwan, jeopardizing peace and stability throughout the Taiwan Strait and within the broader area.
“China has overreacted, and its actions continue to be provocative, destabilizing and unprecedented,” Kurt Campbell, a deputy assistant to President Joe Biden, stated on a name with reporters.
Herald wire providers have been used on this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”