TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — During a historic meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday (April 5), the two leaders affirmed the strong bond between Taiwan and the U.S. and McCarthy stressed the importance of delivering weapons shipments to Taiwan in a timely fashion.

At 10 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, McCarthy greeted Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Tsai and McCarthy held a two-hour closed-door meeting, which included 18 other bipartisan members of Congress.

During a press conference held after the meeting, McCarthy said, "I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime." He then said Taiwan is a "successful democracy, a thriving economy, and a global leader in health and science. And whether it’s our deep commercial ties, strong people-to-people relationships, or shared values, our cooperation with the people of Taiwan continues to expand through dialogue and exchange.”

Tsai thanked McCarthy for arranging the meeting and the bipartisan group of lawmakers for their attendance. “Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and that we are not alone,” said Tsai.

She said during her discussions with lawmakers, “I reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to defending the peaceful status quo — where the people of Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society." Citing the Analects of Confucius, Tsai said "One who is virtuous will not stand alone."

At a second press conference, which this time included the other lawmakers who took part in the discussion, McCarthy listed three key actions that must be implemented. First, McCarthy said that weapons sales to Taiwan must be continued and to "make sure that such sales reach Taiwan on a very timely basis."

Second, the house speaker said that the U.S. must fortify economic ties, "particularly with trade and technology." McCarthy's third action was that the two countries must "continue to promote our shared values on the world stage."

This marks the third time a standing house speaker has met with a president from Taiwan since Washington broke diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979. This is also the first time a Taiwanese president has met a house speaker in the U.S. since the diplomatic split.

The first such meeting occurred when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich met with former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in Taipei in 1997. The second instance took place in August 2022, when Tsai met with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also in Taipei.

Based on today's conversations, it’s clear several actions are necessary: We must continue arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reach Taiwan on time. We must also strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology. https://t.co/zmguDX4uHR

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) April 5, 2023