Republican US senators want to invite Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to address Congress
- Group of senators make request to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi
A group of US senators has asked House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to invite Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to address a joint meeting of the US Congress, an invitation that would anger Beijing.
Amid tensions between the United States and China, the group of Republican senators, including Cory Gardner, Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, released their letter to Pelosi on Thursday, ahead of a March 1 deadline for Washington and Beijing to reach a trade deal.
Relations between Beijing and Washington have been tense in recent months. Many US lawmakers have been critical of Chinese business practices and accused its government of espionage and human rights abuses.
The two countries have agreed a 90-day truce in their trade war to try to hammer out a deal, and another round of talks is scheduled next week in China.
A spokesman for the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in the Taipei Times that there was no plan for the president to visit Washington and deliver a speech to the US Congress.