Former top U.S. defence officials visit Taiwan amid tensions

A delegation of former U.S. defense officials is visiting Taiwan in a sign of stepped-up communication between the sides amid a looming threat from China

A delegation of former United States defence officials arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday in a sign of stepped-up communication between the sides amid a looming threat from China.

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen is leading the five-person delegation that is to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other top officials during the two-day visit. They were greeted at Taipei's Songshan Airport by Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, who bumped elbows with the group members.

Mr. Tsai's office said the delegation had been appointed by U.S. President Joe Biden and the visit would permit “an in-depth exchange of views on Taiwan-U.S. cooperation issues in various fields."

Taiwan hopes the sides will “continue to deepen the steady development of Taiwan-U.S. relations, continue to jointly maintain regional peace and stability, and continue to jointly contribute to global peace and prosperity," it said in a statement.

Separately, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to arrive in Taiwan on Wednesday. Mr. Pompeo, who earlier led the Central Intelligence Agency, will also meet with Tsai and address a forum, according to the Foreign Ministry.

“Former Secretary of State Pompeo's visit displays fully U.S. bipartisan backing for its ‘rock solid' support" for Taiwan, the ministry said.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has drawn fresh attention to China's threat to use force to annex self-governing democratic Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory.