Taiwanese senior officials repeatedly questioned members of a visiting U.S. congressional delegation on what stalled aid to #Ukraine means for U.S. commitments to defend the island from potential #Chinese #aggression.
The Senate last week passed the national security supplemental — which includes $1.9 billion in U.S. funding to restock arms bound for #Taiwan — but House Speaker Mike #Johnson has vowed to block the bill unless it includes provisions to tighten border security.
Taiwan is extremely interested in Ukraine, and extremely worried that we might walk away from Ukraine,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House Select Committee on China, told reporters on Friday at the end of a three-day Congressional Delegation to the self-governing island.
The issue of U.S. support for Ukraine came up repeatedly in meetings that Gallagher and CODEL members including committee ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) had with senior officials including Taiwan President #Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect #Lai Ching-te.
“They are watching the supplemental requests for Ukraine like hawks and they view Ukraine prevailing against the criminal invasion by Russia as incredibly important in sending a message to the Chinese Communist Party,” Krishnamoorthi said.
The potential for a Trump victory in the U.S. presidential election and the possibility that it might result in a change in traditional U.S. support for Taiwan is also worrying its leaders.
The CODEL tried to ease those fears by assuring their Taiwanese hosts of the strong bipartisan congressional support for the island.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/23/taiwan-leadership-u-s-ukraine-00143047