US Sen. Duckworth visits Taiwan to discuss regional security and trade

TAIPEI Taiwan AP Strongly pro-Taiwan U S Sen Tammy Duckworth is visiting the self-governing island democracy to discuss regional safety and relations with the U S Duckworth an Illinois Democrat will hold a series of high-level meetings with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U S -Taiwan relations during her visit Wednesday and Thursday commented the American Institute in Taiwan which acts as the de-facto American embassy in Taiwan in liu of formal diplomatic relations Arrangement venture and other important issues of mutual interest also are on the schedule the institute mentioned The visit underscores the United States commitment to its partnership with Taiwan and reaffirms our shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific the institute disclosed China routinely protests such visits which it views as a violation of U S commitments Duckworth and her staff are the second U S congressional delegation to visit Taiwan in as multiple days demonstrating concerns in Washington over the island s guard in the face of Chinese threats to invade as well as its importance as a contract partner particularly as the producer of of the world s bulk advanced computer chips Taiwan also faces tariffs under the Trump administration a figure the governing body in Taiwan is attempting to negotiate to a lower level without angering sectors such as agriculture that fear lower tariffs could open their markets to heightened competition from abroad Duckworth is visiting at the same time as Lourdes A Leon Guerrero the governor of Guam the U S Pacific territory that would almost certainly be a key participant in any Chinese military moves against Taiwan Taiwan and China split during a civil war in and Beijing still considers the island its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary China refuses all contact with the administration of President Lai Ching-te whom China brands as a separatist and seeks to maximize diplomatic pressure on Taiwan While China sends military aircraft ships and spy balloons near Taiwan as part of a campaign of daily harassment special attention has been given this week to the location of the Liaoning China s first aircraft built entirely by itself China has three aircraft carriers and a fourth undergoing sea trials Col Hu Chung-hua of the Taiwanese Defense Ministry s intelligence department reported reporters Wednesday that the carrier was currently in waters southeast of Taiwan and has been under close surveillance by Taiwan s monitoring stations since leaving its home port in China There are concerns the carrier might stage military drills close to Taiwan that could be a further step toward a blockade an act the U S would be required to respond to under its own laws While the U S provides much of Taiwan s high-tech military hardware the law is unclear whether it would send forces to aid Taiwan in the event of a conflict Hu reported the ministry would not comment on the possibility of drills near Taiwan but considers all options while monitoring the Chinese military The ministry anticipates the enemy as broadly as accomplishable and defends against the enemy strictly We also scrupulously evaluate and act accordingly Hu revealed China is considered a master of grey-zone encounters that bring tensions just to the point of urgent out into open conflict Col Su Tong-wei of the ministry s operation of planning commented the armed forces were constantly evaluating threat levels to consider whether to activate a response center or to increase our defense readiness to perform an immediate readiness drill We will also react accordingly to safeguard national prevention Su noted Source