Indiana’s governor met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday following two recent high-profile visits by US politicians that drew the ire of China and Chinese military exercises that included missile launches.
Republican Eric Holcomb arrived in Taiwan on Sunday night for a four-day visit that will focus on economic issues, his office said.
His visit comes at a tense time for Taiwan, China and the United States after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August. China claims the island as its own territory and any approach by a foreign government is seen as a violation of Chinese sovereignty.
On Monday, Tsai acknowledged the tensions. “In the midst of this, Taiwan has faced military threats from China, in and around the Taiwan Strait. At this time, democratic allies must stand united and push for deeper cooperation in all areas,” Tsai said.
In response to Pelosi’s visit, China held several days of exercises that included fighter jets flying toward the island and warships crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial buffer between the island and mainland China.
Beijing has also imposed visa bans and other sanctions on various Taiwanese political figures, though it is unclear what effect the sanctions would have.
Holcomb emphasized the economic nature of his visit, noting that Indiana is among the top US foreign direct investment investors and is home to 10 Taiwanese companies.
After Taiwan, the governor will visit South Korea.
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