Vocal China critic leads US congressional delegation to Taiwan

A US delegation led by Republican lawmaker Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on China and a vociferous critic of the nation, arrived in Taiwan on Thursday to meet with the island’s senior authorities, according to Taipei’s administration.

China has referred to Taiwan’s vice president, Lai Ching-te, of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, as a “troublemaker” and a “separatist” following her victory in last month’s presidential election.

According to Taipei, the group will meet with Lai and President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday.

Taiwan’s most important ally is the United States, and the self-governing island has been at the focus of hostilities with China, which claims it as its own territory and has threatened to use force to subjugate it.

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The visit demonstrated “the firm bipartisan support of the US Congress for Taiwan,” said Taiwan presidential spokeswoman Olivia Lin in a statement.

“We believe that Taiwan and the United States can continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation, jointly safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and defend hard-won democracy and freedom,” she said.

The delegation will stay until Saturday as part of a larger visit to the Asia Pacific region, the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s de facto embassy in Taipei said in a statement.

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