The U.S. congressional board sees Taiwan as tensions with China remain elevated

September 9, 2022: -Another U.S. congressional board sees Taiwan as tensions remain high with China over its shares in the self-governed island.

A steady stream of U.S. visitors has completed with Taiwanese officials since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited in August. Since then, China has stepped up its military harassment of Taiwan, which sends warships, warplanes, and even drones toward the island daily.

On Thursday, the eight-member bipartisan commission is scheduled to meet with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.

Florida Democrat Stephanie Murphy leads it. She is among lawmakers introducing a bill allowing the U.S. to lend weapons to support Taiwan, similar to an account passed to lend lances to Ukraine. Last week, the Biden administration authorized a $1 billion arms sale to Taiwan.

The more visitors are Hawaii Democrat Kaiali’i Kahele and Republicans Scott Franklin of Florida, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Andy Barr of Kentucky, Darrell Issa of California, Claudia Tenney of New York, and Kat Cammack of Florida.

Pelosi was the highest-level member of the U.S. government to visit Taiwan in 25 years. China replied by holding extensive military exercises that included shooting missiles over the island and sending ships all over the Taiwan Strait midline, which was a long buffer between the two sides. Few of the rockets landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Taiwan’s arms package from the U.S. will make it a more ‘prickly porcupine’: Research organization.

China visits high-level foreign visits to the island as interference in its affairs and de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty. Some saw China’s recent military drills as a rehearsal of prospective military action against the island, which U.S. military leaders say could come within the next few years.

After Pelosi’s trip, a U.S. senator and another congressional delegation visited Taiwan and public administrators from Japan and Palau. Further, both Arizona and Indiana’s governors made visits with a focus on semiconductors, the industry which Taiwan’s companies overlook. U.S politicians have called their visits a show of support for the island.