Defying Beijing, more U.S. lawmakers set to visit Taiwan
The Hindu
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time
Another group of U.S. lawmakers are headed to Taiwan, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported, the third such visit this month and defying pressure from Beijing for these trips not to take place.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory against the strong objections of the democratically-elected government in Taipei, launched military drills near the island after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came in early August.
The Central News Agency did not name the lawmakers, saying only that they would arrive on a U.S. military aircraft at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport and would meet Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on August 26.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "important guests" would arrive after 11 p.m. (1500 GMT) at Songshan airport. It gave no details and declined to comment further.
The de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei declined to comment.
Ms. Pelosi's visit infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, and by ditching some lines of dialogue with Washington, including theatre military talks and on climate change.
She was followed around a week later by five other U.S. lawmakers, with China's military responding by carrying out more exercises near Taiwan.
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