TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers is heading to Taiwan 12 days after a visit by U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China was furious.
A five-member delegation led by Sen. Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, will meet with senior leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade, investment and other issues, the US agency in Taiwan said. The agency represents the US government, which has no official ties to Taiwan.
In response to Pelosi’s Aug. 2 visit, China claims Taiwan as its territory. By sending missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and skies around Taiwan for days at a time. The Chinese government opposes Taiwan having official contact with foreign governments, especially a high-ranking congressional leader like Pelosi.
A Taiwanese broadcaster showed video of a US government plane landing at Changshan Airport in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, at around 7pm on Sunday. While it was not confirmed who was on board, the US agency issued a brief statement after announcing that the delegation would be in Taiwan on Sunday and Monday as part of a trip to Asia.
Other members of the delegation include the representative of American Samoa, the Republican Party. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen and Democrats John Karamendi and Alan Lowenthal from California and Don Baier from Virginia.
Even after military drills ended, Chinese warplanes continue to cross the middle of the Taiwan Strait daily, with at least 10 doing so on Sunday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said.
The ministry said on its Twitter account that 22 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels, including 10 fighter jets, were spotted in the area around Taiwan at 5pm on Sunday.
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