In a recent letter addressed to Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) encouraged her to meet with Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai Ching-te when he visits the US. In the letter, dated July 26, the congressmen notified Harris of the upcoming visit in August and said the meeting would emphasize the friendship between the two countries.
“In recent months, the Chinese authorities have redoubled their reckless efforts to provoke a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, and continue to engage in “dollar diplomacy” as part of a relentless campaign to restrict Taiwan’s international space. This is unacceptable," Tiffany said in the letter to Harris.
According to the Taipei Times, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Vice President William Lai would be making a stopover in the U.S. en route to Paraguay next month. Blinken also urged China not to exploit this visit as a pretext for engaging in provocative actions. This comes after the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally protested Washington allowing “any visit by Taiwan separatists” and expressed its opposition to the U.S. “indulging and supporting ... separatist activities.” Blinken said, “This is very routine.” He went on to say that “there is no reason for the PRC [People’s Republic of China] to use this transit as a pretext for provocative action.”
According to Fox News, China has continued to be aggressive near Taiwan. Fox News reported on May 30 that a Chinese J-16 fighter pilot intercepted a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft over the South China Sea, a move that the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command called an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver.”
On June 5, Fox News reported the US military released footage showing a Chinese navy vessel sharply crossing the path of USS Chung-Hoon, prompting the destroyer to reduce its speed to 10 knots in order to prevent a collision. This took place in the strait between Taiwan and China.
According to the letter, Tiffany said to Vice President Harris that, “Meeting with Vice President Lai would underscore the importance America affixes to the U.S.-Taiwan friendship and make it clear that Beijing’s meddling in American foreign policy is unwelcome. It would also help Taiwan cement its remaining diplomatic partnerships and demonstrate that the Biden administration will not cower in the face of increasing Chinese belligerence and bullying.”
The letter to Harris was also signed by Reps. Andrew Ogles (R-TN), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Earl L. Carter (R-GA), Scott Perry (R-PA) and Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (R-TN).
