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Taipei: A delegation of American politicians is visiting Taiwan just 12 days after a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that angered China.
Beijing responded to Pelosi’s visit by sending missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and air around Taiwan.
Aircraft of the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conduct joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island last week.Credit:Xinhua/AP
The five-member delegation is led by Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts and is in Taiwan on Sunday and Monday as part of a visit to Asia, the American Institute in Taiwan said.
They will meet senior leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade, investment and other issues.
A Taiwanese broadcaster showed video of a US government plane landing Sunday at Songshan Airport in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital.
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China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and objects to it having any official contact with foreign governments.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong initially refused to endorse Pelosi’s trip and said: “All parties should consider how they contribute to de-escalating current tensions.”
But after China’s military response escalated she then accused Beijing of being “disproportionate and destabilising”.