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Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) led a bipartisan congressional delegation with Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Chairwoman Young Kim (R-CA), Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) to Taiwan as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) escalates tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Against the backdrop of CCP military exercises, members of the delegation met with the newly inaugurated President, Lai Ching-Te, and administration officials to reiterate their strong bipartisan support for Taiwan. 

“We are proud to have been the first U.S. congressional delegation to meet with President Lai and senior members of his new administration,” the lawmakers wrote. “In our meetings, we reaffirmed our support for Taiwan amidst the Chinese Communist Party’s continued aggression in the region by ensuring Taiwan has the tools it needs to defend itself. We also discussed ways for the United States to deepen our economic ties to Taiwan and expand our diplomatic cooperation. Taiwan is a thriving democracy and a valuable partner to the United States in the Pacific.”

While in Taipei, Chairman McCaul and members of the bipartisan delegation met with President Lai to reaffirm America’s unwavering support for Taiwan and celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, further underscoring the importance of the bilateral U.S.-Taiwan relationship.

 

At a press conference with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-lung, Members expressed support for Taiwan and celebrated the ironclad U.S.-Taiwan partnership.

 

The Members pose in front of F-5 aircraft following meetings with senior Taiwanese defense officials.

 

At a meet-and-greet with their Taiwanese legislative counterparts, members of the delegation met with Speaker Han Kuo-yu, the leader of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan (LY), and members of the LY’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

 

At a dinner with newly inaugurated Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, formerly the Taiwanese ambassador to the United States, Members expressed solidarity with the people of Taiwan and discussed additional ways of enhancing deterrence as the CCP continues its military aggression against Taiwan.

 

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