Taipei (August 15, 2022) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Subcommittee, and Congressmen John Garamendi (CA-03), Don Beyer (VA-08), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), and Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (AS) visited Taiwan from August 14th through 15th, as part of their Congressional Delegation travel in Asia.

The delegation arrived to Taiwan on Sunday to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and members of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee from the Legislative Yuan. In all of their meetings, the delegation had an opportunity to exchange views with Taiwan counterparts on a wide range of issues including support for peace and stability in Taiwan as they face growing authoritarian pressure from Beijing. The delegation discussed ways to increase Taiwan’s participation in the international community, their mutual interest in preserving the status quo that has maintained peace in the Taiwan Strait for more than 40 years, and deepening economic ties, including through investments in semiconductors.

Senator Markey also met with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) representatives to discuss partnerships to improve semiconductor supply chains and investment in the United States.

“I thank President Tsai, Foreign Minister Wu, and everyone we met with for their warm welcome to Taiwan. The bonds of friendship between the U.S. and Taiwan run deep and we are committed to continuing to build our relationship. The island of Taiwan is a vibrant democracy home to more than 23 million people,” said Senator Markey. “Consistent with our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States must continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community and help Taiwan withstand cross-Strait coercion. We must continue to work together to avoid conflict and miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait.”

Senator Markey has introduced several pieces of bipartisan legislation to strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship including The Taiwan Fellowship Act, which would establish a fellowship program modeled after the successful Mansfield Fellowship Program between the United States and Japan, as well as the Taiwan ASSURE Act, which supports stability measures to lower the risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait, investments in multilateral engagement with Taiwan, and opens the door to greater self-defense cooperation. 

Additional details on the trip will be released in the coming days.

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