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Visiting U.S. senator hoping to strengthen partnerships with Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

08/26/2022 10:47 AM

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) Visiting United States Senator Marsha Blackburn said late Thursday that she is looking forward to learning more about the needs of Taiwan to better strengthen the partnerships between the U.S. and the island nation.

"I will not be bullied by Communist China into turning my back on the island," said Blackburn via a news release, after she landed at Taipei Songshan Airport in an unannounced visit, the third trip to Taiwan by U.S. members of Congress this month.

Calling Taiwan the U.S.'s "strongest partner in the Indo-Pacific region," Blackburn defended the recent run of high-level visits to Taipei, saying they were long-standing U.S. policy.

"During my visit to Taiwan, I look forward to hearing directly from the nation's leadership about their needs and how we can support freedom for the Taiwanese people," Blackburn said.

"I look forward to meeting with leaders in Taipei to advance and strengthen our partnerships."

The 70-year-old senator from the Republican Party arrived in Taiwan at 11:45 p.m. Thursday, on her way back to the U.S. from a trip visiting Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea earlier this week, according to the press release.

During Blackburn's three-day visit, she is scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other government officials, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Earlier this month, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Senator Ed Markey led delegations to Taiwan from Aug. 2 to 3 and Aug. 14 to 15, respectively, despite several stern warnings from China not to do so.

Beijing retaliated against Pelosi's visit by launching week-long live-fire drills around Taiwan that began on Aug. 4. The next day, it decided to halt talks with the U.S. involving theater-level commands, climate change and several other issues.

Asked to comment on Blackburn's visit, U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said members of Congress and elected officials have gone to Taiwan for decades and will continue to do so.

"This is in line and is consistent with our long-standing 'one China' policy," Patel said at a news briefing Thursday.

He said U.S. policy toward Taiwan has remained consistent for decades across administrations and the U.S. remains committed to its "one China" policy.

"We are going to continue to take calm and resolute steps to uphold peace and stability in the region and to support Taiwan in line with our long-standing policy," he said.

(By Stacy Hsu and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

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