A top Republican leadership is doing its best to show strength against the CCP, even as billions of dollars in critical military aid to Taiwan are being held up by a fractured Congress.
Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led a bipartisan trip to Taiwan this week as the tiny island grapples with rising hostility from the neighboring country.
While on the ground, Gallagher highlighted the challenges Taiwan faces due to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s increasing aggression, but reiterated America’s unwavering commitment to supporting the nation.
His strong statement of support for the United States’ crucial partner in the Indo-Pacific came as Republicans in Congress are currently holding back more than $2 billion in foreign military aid.
Gallagher told DailyMail.com on Friday that the trip sends a “strong signal” that the US stands with Taiwan, despite a gridlocked Congress and statements by 2024 front-runner Donald Trump against the additional aid package.
He said the people of Taiwan should have “confidence” that the U.S. “will stand by them,” no matter how divisive our elections become.
Mike Gallagher and new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te shake hands
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a meeting with US Representative Mike Gallagher
The Senate has approved $95 billion in total aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. It is unlikely that a House vote will take place soon after Speaker Mike Johnson said he is focused on completing the appropriations process by the first March 1 deadline.
The group to Taiwan included Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., John Moolenaar, R-Mich., Rep. Dusty Johnson, RS.D., and Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.
Krishnamoorthi told DailyMail.com in a phone call that the trip showed that all eyes are on the US’s handling of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and shows why the additional funding is crucial.
“You can’t be tough on China and weak on Ukraine,” he said, “and this really reinforced to me why we need to get the additional request through the House of Representatives.”
In Taiwan, lawmakers met with top officials including outgoing Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, newly elected President Lai Ching-te and newly elected Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim. They also spoke with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and Vice Speaker Johnny Chiang.
Xi Jinping’s strategy, called “America Against America,” is to “pit” allies against each other in an effort to “undermine our countries and our resolve,” Gallagher said while on the ground in Taiwan.
‘But that strategy is failing. As we stand here together, we are proof of that failure,” he said alongside Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
“Democrats and Republicans, Blues and Greens, the people of Taiwan and the people of America – united against the aggression of the Chinese Communist Party… Free people don’t need a dictator telling them what to think. They know the truth,” he said.
Gallagher also said Taiwan “must remain as it is now, a candle burning freely, brightly and improbably against the darkness” as the Chinese grow increasingly hostile.
Taiwan’s incoming leader drew attention to a “rapidly changing global geopolitical landscape,” which he said comes alongside “tremendous pressure and diplomatic, military and economic coercion from China.”
“We hope that the United States and like-minded countries will also continue to support Taiwan,” he added.
Their trip also came as federal agencies were “urgently investigating” whether the massive mobile outage that hit Americans on Thursday was a cyberattack with possible ties to China.
The FBI and DHS launched an investigation after 74,000 users on AT&T’s network were unable to make calls Thursday, while thousands more on other networks remained without service, according to DownDetector. Thousands more at other networks were left without service.
AT&T’s disastrous cell phone outage was just a fraction of what “will” happen in the US if China invades Taiwan, a US senator has warned.
“I don’t know the cause of the AT&T outage,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee.
“But I do know that it will be a hundred times worse if China launches a cyber attack on America on the eve of an invasion of Taiwan. And it won’t just be the cell phone they hit, it’ll be your power, your water and your bank too,” he continued.
Gallagher told DailyMail.com on Friday that “you have to assume that the American homeland would be targeted” if and when China invades Taiwan.
“The CCP would seek to exploit these vulnerabilities and weaponize supply chains where we remain dependent on China.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) attends a press conference with Taiwanese Secretary of State Joseph Wu, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), Rep. Dusty Johnson ( R-SD), and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) at Taipei Guest House in Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, right, talks with Representative Mike Gallagher, the Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, center
Mike Gallagher shakes hands with Taiwanese Parliament Speaker Han Kuo-yu
Lawmakers acknowledged that this issue came up when they were on the ground in Taiwan – and it is a hugely important issue.
Krishnamoorthi told DailyMail.com that there should be a public-private partnership to “upgrade software” that currently provides easy access to Chinese hackers.
“We need to step up our cyber defense game,” he added.