Bilateral relations and Chinese provocations will be discussed.
An unofficial delegation dispatched by President Biden arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for three days of meetings. Christopher Dodd, a former senator from Connecticut, along with former senior State Department officials Richard Armitage and James Steinberg will meet in Taipei amid heightened tensions with Beijing over the future of the self-governing island. The trip is being called a “personal signal” of the president’s commitment to the island the Chinese are claiming.
The delegation will be discussing bilateral relations with Taiwan’s president and foreign minister, including increased support from Washington on trade, security, and economic matters.
Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue and a major bone of contention with Washington, which is required by U.S. law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
“The selection of these three individuals… sends an important signal about the U.S. commitment to Taiwan and its democracy. … The United States is committed to engaging Taiwan and deepening our cooperation on shared interests in line with the U.S. ‘one-China’ policy,” an administration official said, referencing a decades-old U.S. policy.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for the U.S. delegation as they meet with Taiwanese officials.
- For U.S. diplomats as they navigate the “one-China” policy that would try to negate any support for Taiwan, even though a 42-year-old law requires U.S. support for the island.
- For U.S. military officials as they deal with recent provocations by China, particularly regarding Taiwan.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, Reuters
