Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Wednesday participated in a roundtable discussion with the US House of Representatives China Task Force to discuss deterring the Chinese threat toward Taiwan.
Formed in 2020, the China Task Force is a Republican-led group dedicated to developing legislative responses to counter Beijing’s “malign global activity.”
US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy led the roundtable, which was livestreamed on the congressman’s Web site and billed as a meeting with the “Taiwan ambassador.”
Photo: CNA
“Taiwan warrants our support, because it is a vibrant, thriving democracy. Its people want peace, freedom and the right to determine their own future,” he said in his introduction.
“Over the past few years, we’ve all seen the mounting aggression from Beijing,” he said. “We must work to deter the CCP’s [Chinese Communist Party’s] aggression before it’s too late.”
McCarthy called for a set of actions to strengthen US ties with Taiwan, including increasing arms sales, participation in military training and the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, allowing the display of symbols of Taiwanese sovereignty in the US and deepening trade ties.
“Supporting Taiwan is right, and it’s in America’s best interest,” he added.
US Representative Michael McCaul, the task force’s chair, pushed for timely arms sales to Taiwan, cautioning that the US must not repeat its mistake in Ukraine by waiting until after an invasion to act.
Increasing provocations from China make the US-Taiwan partnership more important than ever, US Representative Young Kim said, adding that this is the reason she and McCaul proposed the Arms Exports Delivery Solutions Act, which aims to expedite the provision of defensive equipment to Taiwan.
The bill was added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which was passed by the House on Thursday last week.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Hsiao said that she was honored to be invited to speak with the task force and thanked its members for their continued concern and support.
Taiwan and the US have for years built a consensus on developing Taiwan’s asymmetrical warfare capabilities, she said, adding that more progress has been made recently.
Asked about reports that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is to visit Taiwan next month, Hsiao said she cannot provide any more information at this time.
Many Taiwanese admire the speaker’s long-standing commitment to human rights and friendship with Taiwan, she added.
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