TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Senators Tammy Duckworth, Dan Sullivan, and Christopher Coons have arrived in Taiwan to meet with government officials.
The Senate delegation flew in a C-17 military transport plane and landed at Taipei’s Songshan Airport Sunday, June 6, morning at 07:19. Foreign minister Joseph Wu welcomed the delegation and president Tsai Ing-wen is expected to meet with them at approximately 8:30 a.m.
The three senators will only be in Taiwan for three hours based on epidemic prevention considerations and their activities will be confined to a command center in the military part of Taipei Songshan Airport to avoid contact with the public, CNA reported. According to the American Institute in Taiwan, the senators will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, and other significant issues of mutual interest.
Additionally, Senator Duckworth said at a news conference Sunday that the US will donate 750,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan as part of the country’s plan to share shots internationally. “It was critical to the United States that Taiwan be included in the first group to receive vaccines because we recognize your urgent need and we value this partnership.”
Duckworth is a war veteran of Thai ancestry who served as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, where she lost both her legs. Sullivan served as assistant secretary of state under President George W. Bush, while Christopher Coons will be the only visitor-serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
