TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The U.S. congressional delegation, led by the U.S. House Committee on the Strategic Competition with the Communist Party of China (CCP) Chairman Mike Gallagher, met with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday (Feb. 22), expressing bipartisan U.S. support for Taiwan and praising Tsai’s leadership for building steadfast U.S.-Taiwan relations.
In her remarks, President Tsai thanked the U.S. government and Congress for "continued support in strengthening Taiwan's self-defense capabilities through the National Defense Authorization Act and other means. The Select Committee on the CCP proposed the 'Ten for Taiwan' report last year, showcasing its focus on Taiwan security."
Meanwhile, Gallagher reiterated his appreciation for Tsai's administrative accomplishments and her evident leadership and vision, as demonstrated by Taiwan's party succession through three consecutive presidential elections.
"I was thinking in the flight over how rare it is, at least in our system, for a party to win the presidency really for three terms. This unprecedented occurrence here in Taiwan is a testament to your leadership, your vision, and the strength you demonstrated for the past eight years,” he noted.
Leading a cross-party delegation of heavyweight representatives from Feb. 22 to 24, the U.S. delegation includes Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. John Moolenaar, Rep. Seth Moulton, and Rep. Dusty Johnson.
The delegation also met with President-elect Lai Ching-te and Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim, who are set to take office in May 2024.
In their meeting, Lai noted that as world geopolitics undergo significant changes, Taiwan faces challenges posed by China. Besides dealing with cross-strait relations based on principles of peace, equality, democracy, and dialogue, he stated that Taiwan will also enhance its defense and national security.