TAIPEI, TAIWAN – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator John Curtis (R-UT) led a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Taiwan for meetings with top government and defense officials, civil society and private sector leaders on March 30 and 31. The delegation also included Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
In meetings with Taiwan President Lai, Vice President Hsiao, Foreign Minister Lin and National Security Council Secretary General Jospeh Wu, Senator Shaheen and the delegation reaffirmed ironclad bipartisan Congressional support for the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. Shaheen commended President Lai and his government for their efforts to increase defense spending and improve societal resilience in the face of the PRC’s relentless “grey zone” activities, including dangerous military and naval incursions into Taiwan’s territory, disinformation operations and the severing of subsea cables.
While in Taipei, Senator Shaheen and the delegation also visited the Legislative Yuan to meet with Speaker Daniel Han, Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang, and leaders from the Taiwan People’s Party and Democratic Progressive Party. The Senators found the dialogue constructive and implored the group to urgently develop a consensus supplementary defense spending package that enables Taiwan to both procure critical American defense equipment and boost domestic production of innovative drones and missile defense systems. The Senators also warmly welcomed Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen’s recent statements of support for robust defense spending and acknowledged recent polling that indicates a strong majority of the Taiwanese people back strengthening investments in defense.
Across the meetings, the Senators noted that the U.S.-Taiwan partnership is built on a foundation of mutual values and shared appreciation for democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law. Our shared values and the importance of Taiwan to the world’s prosperity and stability call for continued legislative action to reaffirm Congress’ role in guiding the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. Senator Shaheen and her colleagues highlighted bipartisan legislation developed and advanced in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to strengthen deterrence and reaffirm America’s partnership with Taiwan, including bills to develop a crippling sanctions playbook in the event of an attack by the PRC, protect the subsea cables that connect Taiwan with the world, and codify the U.S.’s longstanding “Six Assurances,” among other measures.
The delegation also reaffirmed the mutual benefit the U.S.-Taiwan relationship creates for both the Taiwanese and American people. Senator Shaheen and her colleagues noted that Taiwan is America’s fourth largest trading partner in goods and a major investor in the United States — including the single largest FDI project in American history — and supplies the advanced semiconductors critical for America and its allies’ economies and defense. During a visit to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) the delegation learned about Taiwan’s work to develop asymmetric defense capabilities and discussed ways of partnering with the U.S. on defense supply chains and innovation.
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