‘Rock solid’ support for Taiwan: ex-US defence and security officials to visit island amid Russia-Ukraine war
- US President Joe Biden is sending a five-strong delegation to meet with Taiwanese president and defence minister
- Trip comes as concerns rise that Beijing will take advantage of a West distracted by Russia-Ukraine conflict to move against the island
The “unofficial delegation” includes Michael Mullen, the former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, and the Pentagon’s former policy chief, Michèle Flournoy, according to the official, who shared details of the trip on condition of anonymity.
The delegation, expected to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday and stay until Wednesday evening, plans to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng and other senior officials, according to Reuters, which first reported the visit.
The trip follows a recent pattern of US administrations directing or facilitating high-level delegations – generally made up of retired officials or serving lawmakers – to Taiwan, with which the US does not maintain official diplomatic relations.
While it switched diplomatic ties from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, Washington is required by US law to continue supporting the island’s ability to defend itself, including through weapons sales. One of the Biden administration’s first foreign-policy moves was to roll out new diplomatic guidelines encouraging deeper engagement between the US and Taiwanese governments.
Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province that must ultimately be brought under its own control, by force if necessary and regards such engagements – including delegations like that disclosed on Monday – as violations of its territorial sovereignty.