House Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday. As a “great friend of America” in a fraught display of US support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on US territory, risking China’s wrath.
Tsai and McCarthy stayed clear of calls from hardliners in the US for a more confrontational posture towards China in defence of self-ruled Taiwan, in order to avoid needlessly escalating tensions with Beijing.
Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a display of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China’s threats against the island government but pledging to stick to long-standing US policy.
“America’s support for Taiwanese people will remain steadfast, unwavering, and bipartisan,” McCarthy said later at a press conference.
McCarthy invoked Reagan’s peace-through-strength foreign policy strategy, emphasising that “this is a bipartisan meeting of members of Congress,” not any one political party. He stated that connections between the United States and Taiwan are stronger than at any other time in his life.
1 Chinese aircraft, 3 warships detected around island: Taiwan
Following President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, Taiwan’s defence ministry said Thursday that a Chinese anti-submarine helicopter and three warships had been spotted around the self-ruled island.
“One PLA aircraft and three PLAN vessels were detected around Taiwan by 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today.” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
“Armed Forces have monitored the situation. And directed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” the statement continued.
Tsai made the remark after meeting McCarthy in California during a layover on her way back from Guatemala and Belize. Two of Taiwan’s only 13 diplomatic allies.
China had promised a “decisive” reaction to the meeting.
Taipei’s Mainland Affairs Council, accused Beijing on Wednesday of “obstructing” trade in the Taiwan Strait with on-site inspections of cargo and passenger ships.
Chinese maritime authorities had previously stated that they would increase patrols in the waters. Separating the island from mainland China without giving further specifics.