Latest US delegation to Taiwan includes eight members of Congress
- Bipartisan trip led by Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida is confirmed by Taiwan’s foreign ministry after it arrives unannounced
- Group is the sixth US political delegation to visit in five weeks, when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi travelled to Taipei, provoking Beijing
Another US congressional delegation has arrived in Taiwan on a previously unannounced visit certain to irk Beijing.
Representative Stephanie Murphy, a Florida Democrat who is vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on intelligence and special operations led an eight-member group to Taiwan late on Wednesday.
Murphy is leading the sixth US political delegation – and the fourth congressional delegation – to have visited Taiwan since August 2, when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived with one.
Unlike previous visits by congressional colleagues who flew on US military administrative aircraft, Murphy and her group boarded a commercial flight from South Korea, landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
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“During their stay in Taiwan, Vice Chair Murphy and other delegation members will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen; visit William Koo, secretary general of the National Security Council; and have a banquet with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a late-night statement.
“They will exchange views on US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and economic issues,” it said.