Taiwan on Wednesday welcomed the visit of the US Congressional delegation, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and said this visit "once again emphasizes the rock-solid US commitment to Taiwan."
This high-stakes visit marks the first visit by a US House Speaker in 25 years since Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in April 1997. It was also Speaker Pelosi's first trip to Taiwan in 22 years.
"The fact that the delegation included key Congressional leaders from the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means underscores the high level of support for Taiwan-US relations from the US Congress and the wide scope of bilateral cooperation across all fields," Taiwan foreign ministry said in a statement.
"The inclusion of Taiwan in the itinerary of Speaker Pelosi's first Asian tour since the US Congress resumed overseas travel this year fully demonstrates the high regard that the Congress has for Taiwan and once again emphasizes the rock-solid US commitment to Taiwan," the statement added.
The ministry said Speaker Pelosi and other prominent members of Congress will enhance the close and cordial relations between Taiwan and the United States and further deepen global cooperation between the two countries across a broad range of areas.
Pelosi today said the Congressional delegation's visit should be seen as a strong statement that America stands with Taiwan. "We came to Taiwan to listen to, learn from and show our support for the people of Taiwan, who have built a thriving Democracy that stands as one of the freest and most open in the world," she said in a statement.
Congresswoman Pelosi has served as Speaker of the House of Representatives since 2019, and previously from 2007 to 2011. She is the first and as yet the only woman to hold this position in US history. In her capacity as Speaker, she has often publicly expressed support for Taiwan.
Pelosi's trip to Taiwan came to an end today as she departed from the self-ruled island after a short and gripping trip that upped the ante in the Taiwan Strait.
The US House Speaker, who is second in line to the Oval Office after the US vice-president, reaffirmed her country's unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan's democracy and said this trip in no way contradicts long-standing United States policy on the self-governed island.
China, meanwhile, has said that Pelosi's Taiwan visit was a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the joint communique signed between the two countries.
It had also announced live firing as part of its military operations near Taiwan in response to Pelosi's visit.
( With inputs from ANI )
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