US Senator David Perdue has made a last-minute change to the itinerary of his Asia trip and is to arrive in Taiwan today in a show of support for Taiwan amid growing Chinese pressure, a high-level government official said yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Perdue is set to arrive at about 9am, after which he is to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in Taipei and attend a luncheon hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), the official said, adding that the senator would only stay for a couple of hours.
After his whirlwind visit, Perdue is to travel to Southeast Asia, the official said, without specifying.
Photo: AFP
Local media have reported that Perdue is to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
“Perdue decided to come here because he believes that such a trip is necessary at a time when Taiwan has lost many diplomatic allies and has been subjected to unfair treatment in the international arena,” the official said.
Perdue has helped push many Taiwan-friendly bills in the US Congress, the official said, adding that his visit is “highly appreciated.”
Perdue is the second US senator within a week to visit Taiwan, after US Senator Cory Gardner, who added Taipei to his tour of Asia on Saturday last week, just two days after Burkina Faso severed ties with Taiwan.
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