Republican US lawmaker to lead Taiwan trip amid China balloon tensions

• House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said he plans to lead a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan this spring, despite renewed tensions with Beijing over China’s alleged spy balloon incursion over the US.
• Discussions with some House Democrats have started about joining such a trip with McCaul.
• The Texas Republican said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy would plan a separate trip to the island either later this year or next year. He said he intends to join McCarthy, whenever the Speaker does go.
• The Chinese government last month urged the speaker not to visit the island and “to earnestly abide by the one-China principle” to avoid a showdown similar to the one that played out when former House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited in August
• Asked to respond to those comments, McCarthy said last week at the White House: “I don’t think China can tell me where I can go, at any time, at any place.”

External Link : https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3209441/republican-us-lawmaker-lead-taiwan-trip-amid-china-balloon-tensions