(CNSNews.com) – House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and members of a bipartisan delegation visiting Taiwan shrugged off attempted “intimidation” by the Chinese Communist Party, saying they would not be deterred from demonstrating their support for the island democracy.
McCaul disclosed that members of the group had received “threatening texts” and said there had been talk of a Chinese escort while they were flying in to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of the “one China,” awaiting reunification.
“We’re not going to let this intimidation, you know, get to us. We all received sort of threatening texts,” he told reporters on arrival. “There was talk about a Chinese escort in the air, but – that’s just really intimidation, saber rattling.”
“Being here, I think, sends a signal to the Chinese Communist Party that the United States supports Taiwan, and that we’re going to harden Taiwan, and we want them to think twice about invading Taiwan,” McCaul said.
A member of the congressional delegation (CODEL), Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), released a copy of an email received by his office, in which a Chinese Embassy official urged against the trip.
Evidently from Li Xiang, counselor with the mission’s congressional affairs section, the message warned that “the tension across the Taiwan Strait is escalating, and the prospect of peace across the Taiwan Strait is seriously threatened.”
The email recalled a visit to Taiwan last summer by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying it had “triggered a serious crisis” in the U.S.-China relationship, and “lessons should be learned.”
“We urge the U.S. side to refrain from organizing CODEL to visit Taiwan, and stop all forms of interaction with Taiwan.”
Reschenthaler said he was “not intimidated by China’s threats and refuse to kowtow to the Chinese Communist Party.”
“Our congressional visit sends a clear message to the world: America is committed to supporting Taiwan and preserving freedom, democracy, and peace across the globe.”
Reschenthaler added that he looks forward to meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during the visit, “and reaffirming our commitment to the people of Taiwan.”
The two-day congressional visit follows Wednesday’s meeting in California between Tsai – on a “transit” stopover on her way home from a visit to Central America – and a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Earlier one of the group who joined McCarthy at the meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), posted a copy of an email her office had received, apparently from the same Chinese Embassy official, making similar points.
“I have to point out that China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation,” it said.
Hinson said she was “never going to cower” and went ahead with the visit with Tsai, posting a picture on Twitter of herself with the Taiwanese president.
‘Countermeasures’
China has vowed to take “strong and resolute measures” in response to the interactions between Tsai and senior U.S. lawmakers. Taiwan is closely monitoring Chinese naval movements in waters near the island.
On Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry said it has decided to take “countermeasures” against the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where the Tsai-McCarthy meeting took place, as well as the Hudson Institute, which hosted Tsai in New York late last month and honored her with its global leadership award.
The Xinhua state news agency, which carried a brief report on the decision, gave no further details about the nature of the “countermeasures” against the two U.S. institutions.
During a meeting with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing, President Xi Jinping reiterated that China views the Taiwan question as “the core of China’s core interests.”
“The Chinese government and people will never stand for anyone trying to take advantage of the question,” a Chinese foreign ministry official quoted Xi as telling his guests. “If anyone expects China to compromise and concede on the Taiwan question, they are having a pipe dream and would only shoot themselves in the foot.”
In Taipei, McCaul said he plans to discuss with Tsai weapons sales to Taiwan, “and are they prepared, do we have enough deterrence to stop aggression coming from communist China?”
Other members of McCaul’s delegation are Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, and committee members Reps. Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), French Hill (R-Ark.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), and Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.).
In addition to meeting with Tsai, the group expects to meet with Vice President Lai Ching-te, who is chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its likely nominee in next year’s presidential election.
Beijing views the DPP as pro-independence “separatists” and has taken a harsher stance towards Taiwan when a DPP president was in power – in 2000-2008, and again since 2016.
Tsai, who cannot stand for a third term, told reporters before leaving Los Angeles that she hopes Taiwan’s next president, of whatever party affiliation, will follow in her foreign policy footsteps.