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| The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee announced his intention to visit Taiwan |
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-TX, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, revealed that he plans to visit Taiwan in April this year. Concerned about whether House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will visit Taiwan, McCall said that "it has not been finalized yet."
"I plan to visit Taiwan in April. When he decides to go, I will visit with Speaker McCarthy. It hasn't been finalized I'm not sure when I'll leave," Rep. McCall Wednesday (February 1) In an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) on Capitol Hill.
McCall did not specify plans or dates for the visit but criticized China's military action in response to last year's sweeping visit to Taiwan by then-Speaker of Congress Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
I am aware that during Speaker Pelosi's visit, missiles were fired over the island of Taiwan, and Taiwan's airspace and waterways were violated. I think that was very inappropriate behavior, or the Chinese Communist Party was very, very inappropriate and aggressive. , hostile and provocative conduct," McCall said.
He went on to add: "I think any elected member of Congress has the right to visit an elected official in any country, especially like Taiwan."
McCall chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee in the current Republican-majority House of Representatives. The Republican congressman from Texas has proposed a number of Taiwan-friendly bills, supporting the strengthening of cooperation and exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, and assisting Taiwan in developing its international space.
According to the parliamentary agenda, there is a two-week Easter recess in early April, which lawmakers can usually use to travel abroad. Senator McCall did not, however, provide a schedule for his visit.
Asked by reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday whether he was concerned that a visit to Taiwan would further trigger China's intensification of military action, House Speaker McCarthy reiterated that Beijing could not decide where he would go.
I have no current intentions to travel to Taiwan, but let me be clear: China will never be able to tell me where I can and cannot go.
The day before, when McCarthy was interviewed by the media at the White House, he also responded when asked about relevant issues, "I don't think China can tell me when and where to visit."
Punchbowl News, a political news outlet in Washington, reported on Jan. 23, citing officials familiar with the matter, that the Pentagon was making preliminary preparations for McCarthy's trips this year, including a visit to Taiwan.
The Biden administration expects that McCarthy may visit Taiwan in the spring. In addition to security and logistical arrangements, the relevant preparations must also consider China's possible response, because the then-House Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August last year triggered China's turmoil in Taiwan. Large-scale military exercises in the surrounding area.
This week, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs appealed to McCarthy, the Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, not to visit Taiwan more than once without naming names.
China calls on the appropriate individuals working for the US to fervently uphold the three Sino-US joint communique clauses, the one-China concept, and other fundamental standards. of international relations, handle Taiwan-related issues carefully and properly, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and refrain from doing things that damage Sino-US relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. ,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning told a regular news briefing on Wednesday.
At the regular press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, Mao Ning was asked similar questions and did not name McCarthy. He only emphasized that China has always opposed any official form of communication between countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, Mao Ning did not talk about how China would respond if McCarthy visited Taiwan.
Democratic former Speaker of the House of Representatives Pelosi ignored Beijing's repeated obstruction to visit Taiwan in early August last year, becoming the first speaker of the US House of Representatives to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Subsequently, in response, the Chinese military conducted multiple days of large-scale blockades and live-fire drills in various sea and airspaces around Taiwan, which resulted in clouds of air battles over the Taiwan Strait and a sharp rise in regional tensions.
At that time, McCarthy supported Pelosi's plan to visit Taiwan and said that if he was elected speaker, he would lead a delegation to visit Taiwan. It is generally predicted that if McCarthy follows Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, it may once again trigger a fierce rebound from Beijing.
The topic of China's growing threat to Taiwan has become one of Washington's foreign policy priorities. U.S. Air Mobility Command commander Gen. Michael Minihan said in a January 27 memo that the U.S.believes that conflict with China might occur as early as 2025, perhaps over Taiwan, and advised his command to The commander permitted his soldiers to engage in the most effective fight readiness this year.
"I hope I'm wrong, but my gut tells me we'll be fighting in 2025," Admiral Minihan said in an internal document.
In this regard, McCall, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday (January 29) that he agreed with General Minihan's prediction.
McCall stated, "I also hope he's incorrect, but regrettably, I think he's right."
McCall went on to analyze that China has always regarded the unification of Taiwan as its political goal. He believes Beijing will next try to influence Taiwan's 2024 presidential election. McCall said that if Beijing cannot achieve its goals in a way that affects political elections, "my judgment is that they will consider a military invasion (Taiwan), and we must be prepared for that."
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