TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation will head to Taiwan to bolster relations with opposition parties, in addition to visiting President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德).

The delegation is expected to visit Taiwan soon, Nikkei Asia reported on Sunday (Jan. 21). “I think we just want to go welcome (Lai), congratulate him, and continue to emphasize that the future of Taiwan is really up to the people of Taiwan,” Representative Ami Bera, a member of the House subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, told Nikkei Asia on Friday (Jan. 19).

The visit from the U.S. lawmakers is meant to demonstrate Washington’s support for Taiwan’s democracy, according to Bera. Without giving specific details, Bera said the delegation will also meet with senior people in the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

“It’s a parliamentary system, so we should be talking to all legislators,” Bera noted. “I would expect us to have meetings with all parties.”

Bera, who co-chairs the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, noted that Congress does not have deep relations with Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) TPP. He suggested it needs to build better relations with the TPP to deepen cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S.

While Lai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secured the presidency, they failed to retain their majority in the 113-seat legislature, with the KMT getting 52 seats, the DPP 51, the TPP eight, and two independents that will likely caucus with the KMT.

Meanwhile, Bera rejected Chinese claims that Lai would declare formal independence. “I would urge Beijing to pay attention to President-elect Lai’s words (and) position,” Bera told Nikkei Asia, adding that Lai has pledged to maintain the status quo.

The congressional delegation follows a visit to Taiwan by former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg. The two met with Lai and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) last Monday (Jan. 15).

Hadley and Steinberg were asked by President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan to show the U.S.’ commitment to maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, according to Nikkei Asia.