TAIPEI, Taiwan — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday met with Taiwan‘s president, who promised to deepen navy cooperation between the 2 sides regardless of objections from China, which claims the island as its personal territory.

The group was considered one of many U.S. delegations President Tsai Ing-wen has welcomed in recent times at the same time as Beijing has stepped up diplomatic and navy harassment of Taiwan.

China responded to international visits by holding large-scale navy workout routines seen by some as a rehearsal for a blockade or invasion. Beijing has not dominated out use of power to reunite Taiwan with mainland China, though the perimeters have been separated since a civil battle in 1949, and most Taiwanese favor to maintain the established order of de-facto independence.

Tsai thanked the lawmakers for coming, saying it was an opportunity to deepen ongoing cooperation in semiconductor chip design and manufacturing, renewable vitality and next-generation 5G cell community.

“Taiwan and the U.S. (will) proceed to bolster navy exchanges. Going ahead, Taiwan will cooperate much more actively with the U.S. and different democratic companions to confront such daring challenges as authoritarian expansionism and local weather change,” Tsai stated.

Tensions between the U.S. and China inflated after Washington shot down a suspected Chinese language spy balloon that Beijing maintains was an unmanned climate balloon. Each side are additionally in opposition on the battle in Ukraine, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Sunday that Beijing could possibly be contemplating offering weapons to Russia for the battle.

Taiwan stays a flash level. Wang Yi, the Chinese language Communist Social gathering’s most senior international coverage official, stated over the weekend that Taiwan “has by no means been a rustic and it’ll not be a rustic sooner or later.”

“We’re right here to affirm the shared values between the U.S. and Taiwan — a dedication to democracy, a dedication to freedom,” California Rep. Ro Khanna stated. “The U.S. below President Biden’s management seeks peace within the area.”

He’s accompanied by Reps. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois. The group met with their legislative counterparts Monday, in addition to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Firm founder Morris Chang.

Khanna additionally provided a tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, who just lately entered hospice care. He was president when Congress handed the Taiwan Relations Act, below which the U.S. should guarantee Taiwan can defend itself.