Senator Marsha Blackburn arrives in Taiwan, escalating tensions with China

A US lawmaker on the Senate Commerce and Armed Services committees has landed in Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) on the third visit by an American dignitary this month, escalating further tensions with China.

Senator Marsha Blackburn arrived in Taipei on Thursday on board an American military aircraft.

The live television footage from the downtown Songshan airport showed her being received on the airport tarmac by Douglas Hsu, director general of Taiwan's foreign affairs ministry, Blackburn's office said.

"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. "I will not be bullied by Communist China into turning my back on the island."

The visit comes in the wake of heightened tension between Washington and Beijing following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s two-day trip to Taiwan at the start this month.

Pelosi visited Taipei despite stern warnings from Beijing that the trip would have a “severe impact” on bilateral ties with the United States and would “gravely undermine” regional peace and stability.

Pelosi said the visit was intended to make it “unequivocally clear” that the US would “not abandon” the island.

Her visit infuriated China, which has sovereignty over the self-ruled Chinese Taipei and has publicly stated that it may take it by force one day, if necessary.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday Blackburn was due to meet President Tsai Ing-wen on her trip, which ends on Saturday, as well as top security official Wellington Koo and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

"The two sides will exchange views extensively on issues such as Taiwan-U.S. security and economic and trade relations," the ministry added in a brief statement.

Under the “one China” policy, nearly all countries across the globe, the US included, recognize Beijing’s sovereignty over Chinese Taipei. 

Washington, however, engaged in direct contact with the secessionist government in Taipei, in violation of its own stated policy. The US also supplies Taipei with massive amounts of armaments.

China’s defense minister described Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as a “gross violation of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He reiterated that Taipei was an integral part of China and that the country is fully prepared to fight its enemies amid attempts by the United States to undermine its sovereignty and security in the region.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk