US Congress members praise Taiwan’s democracy in a visit that’s certain to draw China’s scrutiny

By KEVIN FREKING and SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A group of United States Congress members are praising Taiwan’s democracy during a visit to the island. The show of support is certain to draw scrutiny from China, which sees such displays as a challenge to its claim of sovereignty over the self-governing island. A visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan two years ago resulted in China dispatching warships and military aircraft to all sides of the democratically run island. On Thursday, the bipartisan delegation praised Taiwan as a robust democracy following its presidential election in January, and called the island a friend of the U.S. The group’s three-day visit to Taiwan is part of a larger tour of the Indo-Pacific.