US Senator Marsha Blackburn Arrives In Taiwan

Republican Senator Masha Blackburn (R-TN) has arrived in Taiwan for a series of meetings, including with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen tomorrow.

• Blackburn is a prominent China hawk within the Republican caucus and the highest profile Republican to visit the self-governing island since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) earlier this month.
• Blackburn's Taiwan trip is part of a broader Indo-Pacific trip and Blackburn said in a statement from Papua New Guinea this week: “The Indo-Pacific Region is the next frontier for the New Axis of Evil... I am grateful for [Pacific Island Nations'] leadership and strength against the Chinese Communist Party. In Washington, I’ve introduced legislation to permanently expand our diplomatic footprint in the area.”
• After Pelosi's trip, Blackburn said in a joint statement with a bipartisan group of lawmakers: “We support Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan. For decades, members of the United States Congress, including previous Speakers of the House, have travelled to Taiwan. This travel is consistent with the United States’ One China policy to which we are committed. We are also committed now, more than ever, to all elements of the Taiwan Relations Act.”