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Sen. Marsha Blackburn insisted Taiwan is its own ‘country’ as she visited the island democracy on Friday.
The Tennessee Republican first referred to Taiwan as a ‘country’ in a meeting Friday with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Blackburn recalled her first trip to Taiwan in 2008 when she had ‘the opportunity to get to see some of your country firsthand.’
Blackburn, a member of the Armed Services Committee, was asked on call with reporters whether her remarks represented a break from official U.S. policy.
‘I feel like Taiwan is a country. If Taiwan was not a country why would China be talking about reunification?’ the Tennessee Republican asked defiantly.
Blackburn traveled by U.S. military aircraft to Taipei Thursday night, marking the fourth U.S. lawmaker visit to the island democracy in a matter of weeks.
Her latest remarks are sure to draw further fire from the CCP, which warned against further U.S. arms sales or official travel to Taiwan.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn insisted Taiwan is its own ‘country’ as she visited the island democracy on Friday
The Tennessee Republican first referred to Taiwan as a ‘country’ in a meeting Friday with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen
China claims that such visits infringe on America’s One China policy, which states the U.S. acknowledges the Beijing government as the sole government of China. The U.S. has long practiced strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan’s defense, not saying whether it would intervene if conflict were to break out with China.
‘Taiwan is our strongest partner in the Indo-Pacific Region. Regular high-level visits to Taipei are long-standing U.S. policy,’ Blackburn said in a statement Thursday announcing her arrival in Taipei. ‘I will not be bullied by Communist China into turning my back on the island,’ she continued.
‘Xi Jinping doesn’t scare me,’ the senator added in a tweet. She called China the ‘Axis of Evil.’
Prior to the Taiwan visit, she had traveled to Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands in another show of force against China.
‘The threat from the CCP is real, the individuals in this region feel as if they are on the front lines,’ Blackburn told reporters.
She added that while leadership on the Solomon Islands had chosen to engage with China, she found that the nation’s people wished their government would choose engagement with the U.S. over China.
Blackburn said Tiawan is ‘definitely looking for more’ military aid from the U.S. as it seeks to build up an asymmetric stockpile to use in the event of war with China.
Blackburn said she spoke with Taiwanese officials about ‘our shared values, love of democracy and freedom.’
She said Taiwanese officials also spoke with her ‘about preserving their culture – their appreciation that the U.S. comes in to help and support but does not try to change their culture.’
Blackburn, a member of the Armed Services Committee, was asked on call with reporters whether her remarks represented a break from official U.S. policy. ‘I feel like Taiwan is a country. If Taiwan was not a country why would China be talking about reunification?’ the Tennessee Republican asked
Blackburn’s latest remarks are sure to draw further fire from the CCP, which warned against further U.S. arms sales or official travel to Taiwan
Blackburn’s visit to Taiwan is the latest in what has become a trend among lawmakers.
In mid-August a group of lawmakers led by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., including Reps. John Garamendi, D-Calif., Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., Don Beyer, D-Va., and Amata Radewagen, R- American Samoa, traveled to the island.
Days ago Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb led a group of state officials to the democratically governed island.
Pelosi was the first to rile up China with her visit to Taiwan, accompanied by Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Suzanne DelBene, D-Wash., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Mark Takano, D-Calif.
Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang warned last week thatif Washington doesn’t ‘show restraint’ after Pelosi’s trip there will be “another round of tensions.’ China had already cut off key climate change and military dialogue after the House speaker visited Taiwan and looks to be setting the stage for potential combat in increasingly aggressive military trills in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Bejing has been firing missiles and sending aircraft across the median line in the Taiwan strait, a boundary both sides have long respected.
Four Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Monday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said, hours after Indiana’s governor met the island’s president in another show of defiance against Beijing.
The U.S. plans to send Naval vessels to the Taiwan strait in the coming weeks and approve additional arms sales to Taiwan.
Last week Washington announced trade talks with Taipei in a show of support following China’s military threats towards the island.
China has long claimed Taiwan as part of its territory to be seized one day – by force if necessary.