Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have released a joint statement, extending their congratulations to the newly elected President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te. The election took place on Saturday, with Lai, who is currently serving as vice president of Taiwan, emerging victorious.
Chairman Gallagher expressed his enthusiasm for future collaborations, stating, "We look forward to working with President-elect Lai and continuing to build a strong U.S.-Taiwan partnership."
Lai has been serving as vice president since 2020 alongside Tsai Ing-wen. This recent victory marks a third term in power for the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), reaffirming their commitment to a sovereign Taiwan with an identity distinct from China. This stance has led to warnings from China in the lead-up to the election. According to The Guardian, Lai has pledged to continue Tsai's balanced approach in managing relations between the United States and China.
China's claim over Taiwan is rooted in historical events dating back to 1949 when the Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan after losing a civil war against Mao Zedong's communists. This led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Xi Jinping, current leader of PRC, has expressed intentions of reclaiming control over Taiwan, which still officially goes by the name Republic of China. These discussions about Xi's aspirations were prevalent leading up to the elections in Taiwan, according to Reuters.
In their joint statement released via a press release from the Select Committee on CCP, Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi extended their congratulations towards Taiwanese citizens: "We want to offer our congratulations to the people of Taiwan on their successful, free, and fair elections," they said. "Taiwan stands as a gleaming representation of a flourishing democracy and a symbol of bravery in the face of near-constant authoritarian pressure. During this transition period and into President-elect Lai’s forthcoming term in office, the United States will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our friends in Taiwan."
Last week, members of the United States' Congressional Taiwan Caucus introduced a resolution expressing their support for Taiwan. The resolution, according to a press release from Rep. Andy Barr's (R-Ky.) office, highlighted commendations for Taiwan's democracy: "Whereas, from 1949 until today, the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan have stood as partners against coercion, threats of war, and armed attacks from the People’s Republic of China; The House of Representatives: commends Taiwan for the example it has set for self-governance, not just for the Pacific region, but for the world."
The Select Committee on CCP is chaired by Gallagher and was established to counteract the influence of CCP. This bipartisan committee aims to "work on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by CCP and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values". Its members include Reps. such as Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Jake Auchincloss (Mass.), among others.
