TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Roger Wicker, chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, and ranking member Deb Fischer arrived in Taiwan for a visit on Friday.
This marks the first visit to Taiwan by the committee chair in nine years, since John McCain's trip in 2016, per ETtoday. The delegation is expected to meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), and senior officials in the National Security Council and the Ministry of National Defense to discuss Taiwan's security.
Wicker and his delegation departed for the Asia-Pacific region on Friday, first visiting Hawaii, then Guam, Tinian Island, and Palau. After meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday, they arrived in Taiwan before noon on Friday.
The delegation was greeted at Taipei Songshan Airport by American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺). In his remarks upon arrival, Wicker said his delegation has come to "reemphasize the partnership and the security friendship agreement that the United States has had with Taiwan for some decades," per CNA.
Wicker noted that Congress has stressed the importance of this relationship in the past two defense authorization acts and said that provisions will be added in the latest version. He pointed out that the defense appropriations bill will be on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
Wicker, one of Taiwan’s staunchest allies in Congress, held a virtual meeting with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) last year during Lai’s transit through Guam in December. Retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told the Financial Times a visit by Wicker “would be fantastic,” citing his strong support for enhancing Taiwan’s deterrence against China.
Zack Cooper, an Asia expert at the American Enterprise Institute, was cited by the Financial Times as saying, “Given the Trump administration’s recent concessions to China, many in Taipei will look to the Congress for reassurance that Taiwan still matters to the US.” He added the visit could help improve US-Taiwan communication as Washington urges Taipei to invest in specific defense capabilities.
