Taiwan (Tansatlantic Today) – Michael McCaul, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, assured on Monday that the shipment of weapons to Taiwan would resume “as soon as possible” after his country’s House of Representatives approved a package of military financing for the island.
Dialogue with Key Officials
During a press conference in Taipei, McCaul, accompanied by five other congressmen, stated, “I continue to talk about it with the Secretary of State, with the Secretary of Defense, with the AIT (American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s de facto embassy in Taiwan) and we are making progress on these weapons systems. I would like it to be faster, but they are yet to come.”
Military Aid Package and Delivery Timelines
According to Eldiariony, McCaul highlighted that the military aid package, estimated at $2 billion, will be delivered “much more quickly” than previous arms sales. “Since I have become chairman (of the Foreign Affairs Committee), we have had to wait a period of two to five years (to complete arms shipments), and I think that is too long. In the case of Taiwan, that is too much,” he stated, promising that Taiwan will receive weapons equipped with “the latest technology.”
Response to Chinese Military Exercises
The Republican congressman also uderlined recent Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan and its peripheral archipelagos. These exercises, conducted after the inauguration of Taiwanese President William Lai (Lai Ching-te), underscore the “urgency” of enhancing Taipei’s “deterrence” capacity.
US Commitment to Taiwan
Andy Barr, co-chair of the Taiwan caucus in the US House of Representatives, emphasized the United States’ commitment to maintaining the status quo and peace in the Taiwan Strait. “There should be no doubt, no skepticism, in the United States, Taiwan or anywhere in the world, about the American commitment to maintaining the status quo and peace in the Taiwan Strait. The United States is completely determined to (improve) deterrence and support Taiwan militarily, diplomatically and economically,” Barr stated.
Meeting with President Lai
McCaul, Barr and four other US congressmen landed in Taiwan this Sunday for a four-day visit to the island , where they will meet with “senior leaders” and members of civil society to discuss relations between the United States and Taiwan, the regional security, trade and bilateral investment, according to a statement released by the AIT .
Engagement with Taiwanese leadership
One of the first topics on the agenda was a meeting with the new Taiwanese President at the Presidential Palace in Taipei. At this meeting, President Lai expressed his hope that the U.S. Congress will continue to support Taiwan in boosting its defence capabilities and improving bilateral ties. Lai asserted the Taiwanese people’s determination to “defend their homeland”
Visits and diplomatic tensions
Despite tensions between Beijing and Washington, US representatives have consistently visited Taiwan over the past two years. These tensions grew following the visit to Taipei by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022, which angered China. Taiwan, governed autonomously since 1949 after the Chinese nationalist army’s retreat, remains claimed by China, which has not ruled out the use of force for its ‘reunification.’
