Photo: Michael McCall
< p>A delegation of American legislators is in Taiwan. This is the first such visit since Taiwan's new President Lai Qingde took office.
The American delegation is led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul.
Lawmakers visiting Taiwan include: both parties. They are meeting with Lai on Monday, May 27, to, as Taiwan's presidential office said, “exchange views on peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
"Taiwan – thriving democracy. The United States will continue to support our steadfast partner and work to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,”– McCall said in a statement, according to the Voice of America.
Lai, who won the election in January, said he also “looks forward to strengthening mutual understanding and reconciliation with China through exchanges and cooperation, creating mutual benefit and progress toward a position of peace and shared prosperity.”
He thanked the United States and other countries for expressing concern about Chinese exercises that took place near the island on Thursday and Friday. China called them “punishment” after Lai's inauguration speech.
The Taiwanese government condemned the military exercises conducted by Beijing.
BAGNET notes that China has been regularly conducting military maneuvers for the past four years around Taiwan, trying to put pressure on the island's government.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga