A group of five U.S. lawmakers landed in Taiwan on Sunday in another high-level visit that comes just days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged China with a trip to the self-governed island.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is leading the unannounced delegation. The group of lawmakers will meet with Taiwanese officials throughout Sunday. China has condemned such visits in the past, but has yet to release a statement regarding Markey’s group.
Other members of the delegation include Democratic Reps. John Garamendi of California, Alan Lowenthal of California, and Don Beyer of Virginia, and Republican Rep. Amata Radewagen of American Samoa.
China has long claimed Taiwan as its territory, despite the island being democratic and self-governed.
The Chinese military held extensive live-fire exercises surrounding Taiwan in the week following Pelosi’s visit to the island.
The Chinese regime argues the top-level visits violate the U.S. “One China” policy, which states that the U.S. acknowledges the People’s Republic of China as the one and only government of China.
Pelosi was the highest-level U.S. official to visit Taiwan since House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.
A group similar to Markey’s delegation also made a surprise landing in Taiwan in April, including Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.
