Bipartisan US Lawmakers Affirm Support for Taiwan After China’s Military Exercises

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (R) shakes hands with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) during a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 27, 2024. Taiwan Presidential Office via AP

TAIPEI, Taiwan—A visiting U.S. congressional delegation expressed support for Taiwan’s self-defense, just days after China conducted large-scale military exercises in an attempt to intimidate the island’s newly sworn-in administration of President Lai Ching-te.

Led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the bipartisan delegation met with Mr. Lai on May 27. It was the first congressional visit to Taiwan since Mr. Lai’s inauguration on May 20, when he called on China to stop its “political and military intimidation” against the island in his inaugural speech.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) didn’t heed Mr. Lai’s call. On May 23, the Chinese regime launched what it called “punishment” military drills around Taiwan, testing its military capabilities to “seize power” in the self-ruling island.

In a joint press conference with Mr. Lai before their private talks, Mr. McCaul condemned China’s “intimidating military exercises.”

“All democracies must stand together against aggression and tyranny,” Mr. McCaul added. “Whether it’s [Vladimir] Putin in Russia, the Ayatollah in Iran, or Chairman Xi [Jinping] next door to us in China, an unholy alliance is eroding peace around the world.”

China’s military drills lasted two days. According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, 111 Chinese warplanes and 46 naval vessels participated in the exercises. The drills were conducted around Taiwan—to the north, south, and east and in the Taiwan Strait—and the island’s offshore islands of Dongyin, Kinmen, Matsu, and Wuqiu.

On Saturday, the U.S. State Department said it was “deeply concerned” with what it called China’s “military provocations.”

Taiwan and the United States currently aren’t diplomatic allies; Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979. Nonetheless, under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the United States remains Taiwan’s most important ally and main arms supplier.

At the press conference, Mr. Lai reiterated his plan to work with the United States and like-minded countries to “jointly maintain regional peace, stability, and prosperous development.”

Also in the delegation were Reps. Young Kim (R-Calif.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.). The delegation is scheduled to stay in Taiwan until May 30.

Mr. McCaul and Ms. Kim also visited Taiwan last year, when they met with then-Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

‘Blockade’

Following his talks with Mr. Lai, Mr. McCaul joined Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung for another press conference.

“President Lai and I, as always, had a very sobering and yet very direct conversation about the threat that this island faces from its neighbor to the north, and it’s a real one,” Mr. McCaul said. “Without deterrence, Chairman Xi has bold and aggressive ambitions.”

U.S. officials have warned about the possibility of China invading Taiwan by 2027. Former Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu also considered such a timeline as “more likely.”

Mr. McCaul said China’s military drills were “essentially a preview of what a blockade would look like.”

“The key is to make sure the island has the weapons necessary for deterrence,” the Texas congressman added. “We just need to do everything we can to make it possible for him [Xi] to see that the risk outweighs the reward, that the risk is just too high.”

In October last year, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner discussed how the global economy would take a major hit, should China decide to use a blockade against Taiwan, during an event held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The negative economic impact would prompt the global community “to rally around and against” China’s action, Mr. Ratner said. Eventually, he added, Beijing would need to decide if it “wanted to start attacking commercial vessels to sustain a blockade.”

Mr. McCaul said he had put “continuous pressure” on defense contractors and the Biden administration to clear a backlog of weapons purchased by Taiwan as quickly as possible.

According to the Cato Institute, the U.S. arms sale backlog to Taiwan amounted to about $19.7 billion as of the end of April.

“We are moving forward on those weapons systems. I'd like to see it faster, but they are forthcoming,” Mr. McCaul said.

“There should be no doubt, there should be no skepticism in the United States, Taiwan, or anywhere in the world, of American resolve to maintain the status quo and peace in the Taiwan Strait,” Mr. Barr said at the press conference.

“The United States is fully and completely committed to deterrence to supporting Taiwan militarily, diplomatically, and economically.”