Taiwan president says U.S. visits reinforce determination to defend itself

Reuters:

TAIPEI, Aug 26 – The recent visits by guests from the United States have reinforced Taiwan’s determination to defend itself, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday as she met the latest U.S. lawmaker to visit the island in defiance of Beijing.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory against the strong objections of the democratically elected government in Taipei, launched military drills near the island after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited in early August.

Around a week later she was followed by five other law makers and late Thursday Senator Marsha Blackburn touched down in Taipei.

Meeting at the presidential office, Tsai praised the trips of the lawmakers.

“In recent times, many public figures from a broad spectrum of U.S. society have visited Taiwan. These warm acts of kindness and firm demonstrations of support have reinforced Taiwan’s determination to defend itself,” she said, in remarks carried live on Tsai’s social media pages.