President Biden just sent a message to the Chinese government
Three US Senators came to visit the Republic of China, (Taiwan), on Sunday, June 6; Senator Tammy Duckworth, Senator Dan Sullivan and Senator Christopher Coons. The three came to meet the president of the Republic of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Senators Duckworth and Sullivan are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Coons is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
It should be recalled that Senator Duckworth is a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel who, as a helicopter pilot, was most grievously wounded in Iraq. She’s also Asian-American.
I mention this because the US senate and the USA are sending a diplomatic message to Beijing.
It’s one thing that two of these three Senators are closely associated with matters which involve the Pentagon, but this visit also involves the State Department via the Foreign Relations Committee.
Here’s the kicker; the trio arrived on a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III.
It is exceedingly rare for Senators to hitch rides for official visits to foreign countries on military aircraft. The arrival on such a military aircraft to Taiwan sends a message to Xi.
Biden is demonstrating that the USA military has a presence on Taiwan. Literally. The visit by the senators is an indication is that the Senate is very interested in the democratic Republic of China. Biden is also making the insinuation that the Pentagon and the State Department share that interest.
Beijing has worked incessantly to isolate the ROC. Worse, the PRC has also endeavored to halt the importation of much needed coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan, which is suffering a resurgence of infection and death from COVID-19.
In defiance of Beijing’s bluster, Japan and the United States have sent millions of doses to the ROC. Saber-rattling by Beijing will be forthcoming.
