US Congressional Delegation Visiting Taiwan "Supports Deterrence Against China"... Display of Alliance

Visit Three Days After End of China's Taiwan Encirclement Drills
Li Qingtong Emphasizes 'Peace Through Strength'

A U.S. congressional delegation visiting Taiwan pledged military support to Taiwan, showcasing their alliance. This comes just three days after China concluded its military encirclement exercises around Taiwan.

According to Bloomberg News, Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee leading the congressional delegation to Taiwan, said at a joint press conference with Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on the 27th, "What China has done in the past few days essentially shows what a blockade of Taiwan would look like," adding, "The key is to ensure Taiwan is equipped with the weapons to deter this."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

He explained that he has pressured relevant defense contractors and the Biden administration to expedite the delivery of weapons Taiwan has purchased. Minister Wu also responded, "(The congressional delegation's visit) is an important gesture of solidarity showing that the United States stands firmly with democratic Taiwan."

Chairman McCaul also confirmed that he had "very direct talks" with Taiwan's newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te regarding cross-strait (China and Taiwan) issues. During a meeting with the U.S. congressional delegation that morning, President Lai cited former U.S. President Ronald Reagan's principle of "peace through strength," pledging to continue strengthening Taiwan's defense as well as its cooperative relationship with the United States.

The U.S. congressional visit to Taiwan drew attention as it came immediately after China conducted encirclement military exercises for two days starting on the 23rd, right after President Lai's inauguration. China launched joint exercises involving land, sea, air, and rocket forces around five maritime areas surrounding Taiwan after President Lai expressed a stance on maintaining the status quo including Taiwan's sovereignty in her inaugural speech. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense estimates that 111 military aircraft and dozens of naval vessels were mobilized.

On the previous day, President Lai expressed hope that "through exchanges and cooperation with China, mutual understanding, comprehension, and reconciliation will be promoted, moving toward peaceful coexistence" regarding China's encirclement exercises. She also expressed gratitude that President Biden, the U.S. government and Congress, and countries around the world have sent strong support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, Jensen Huang, CEO of global artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor company NVIDIA, attracted attention by visiting Taiwan the day before, two days after China’s encirclement exercises ended. Huang, a Taiwanese-American, has repeatedly emphasized Taiwan's critical role in the global AI chip supply chain. Local media such as Liberty Times report that during his stay in Taiwan until next month, Huang is expected to attend Taiwan’s IT exhibition, "Taipei Computex 2024," and unveil a blueprint related to the "AI-generated video" business.