US Sen. Marsha Blackburn met with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday, in the second visit by members of Congress since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip earlier this month sharply raised tensions with China.
In her remarks, Tsai pointed to the large-scale military exercises that China launched in response to Pelosi's visit, as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as posing challenges to democratic governments such as the U.S. And Taiwan.
“These developments demonstrate how authoritarian countries are disrupting and threatening the world order,” she said.
Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, reaffirmed shared values between the two governments and said she “looked forward to continuing to support Taiwan as they push forward as an independent nation."
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be taken by force if necessary, and sees high-level foreign visits to the island as interference in its affairs and de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty. China's recent military drills were seen by some as a rehearsal of future military action against the island, which U.S. Military leaders say could come within the next few years.
In their meeting, Tsai and Blackburn also underscored the importance of economic links, especially in the semiconductor sector, where Taiwan is a world leader and the U.S. Is seeking greater investment at home.
Blackburn arrived in Taipei late Thursday after visiting Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea as part of a U.S. Push to “expand our diplomatic footprint in the area,” her office said in a statement.
“The Indo-Pacific region is the next frontier for the new axis of evil,” Blackburn, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, was quoted as saying. “We must stand against the Chinese Communist Party.”