Taiwan

Contrary to earlier reports, Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, arrived late Thursday night unaccompanied by other members of Congress, reports dpa news agency. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed appreciation to the US for its show of support amid rising regional tension and growing pressure from China.

According to the proposal, the total expenditure involving national defence in 2023 will amount to 586.3 billion Taiwan dollars (TWD) ($19.4 billion), reports dpa news agency. It includes 108.3 billion TWD for the purchase of advanced fighter jets, among other things. The Chinese military held large-scale manoeuvres around Taiwan earlier this month in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island on August 2.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb arrived in Taipei on Sunday night for a four-day trip, reports dpa news agency. His visit comes after recent trips by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Democrat Ed Markey drew ire from Beijing, which rejects official contacts between Taipei and other countries.

Neil Thomas, a senior China analyst at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, said that expanded People's Liberation Army exercises around Taiwan increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that escalates into a prolonged military standoff or another type of international security crisis, VOA reported.

The US congressional delegation arrived on Sunday for a surprise two-day visit, which followed a trip earlier this month by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, reports dpa news agency. China increased pressure on Taiwan both militarily and economically after Pelosi's 19-hour visit to Taipei on August 2-3.

According to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which acts as the de facto US embassy, the two-day visit is part of a larger trip to the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions are to focus on regional security, trade and investment, among other issues, dpa news agency reported. Taiwan's foreign ministry welcomed the visit, saying that the delegation will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

Reports of tension between the two countries over Taiwan had emerged after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the self-governing island earlier this month. It was the first such visit by a US House Speaker in 25 years, as Pelosi's aim was to show support for Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory.

Vaiciukeviciute arrived in Taipei on August 7 for a five-day visit to promote future cooperation, reports dpa news agency. Beijing said on Friday that Vaiciukeviciute had undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the self-governing democratic island part of its territory.

The Taiwan visit last week by US lawmakers led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was intended to make sure what happened in Ukraine - invaded by Russia - was not repeated with China invading Taiwan, says Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the US House of Representatives. In an exclusive interview, Krishnamoorthi, who had accompanied Pelosi, says the Chinese "tried to interfere with our trip, even while we were in the air".

The delegation led by Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT), left for a visit to China on Wednesday, reports dpa news agency. According to the KMT, it was a long-planned trip to meet Taiwanese businessmen and some nationals studying or living in China, primarily in the south-eastern coastal provinces, such as Fujian and Zhejiang, as well as the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong Province. Appointments in Beijing are not planned. In China, the required quarantine period for the delegation led by Hsia ends on August 21, after which they will return to Taiwan on August 27.