US must stand strong with Taiwan
Heard about the Republican member of Congress who traveled to Taiwan, where he met, for four days, with officials there? Not likely. Not unless you happen to be plugged into the doings of members of Congress and of the Taiwanese government.
But it happened. And it matters.
When Rep. Mike Gallagher, of Wisconsin, traveled to Taiwan, he met with President Tsai Ing-wen and other officials of the island democracy. Gallagher, who is chairman of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party, returned to the United States with a message: We must stand with Taiwan. All of us — Republicans, Democrats, independents.
There are just two ways to look at Taiwan.
You can see it as the Chinese Communist Party does — as a satellite of China just waiting to be brought back into the fold by whatever means are deemed necessary. Or you can see it, rightly, as Taiwan and the United States do — as its own entity, a thriving democracy that stands as a force of good, and light, amid the darkness and oppression that is modern China.
On Thursday, the U.S. announced that it will be sending more troops to Taiwan to beef up its military training program. Good. Xi Jinping, China’s despotic ruler, needs to know that we are serious about helping to protect Taiwan. There can be no two ways about it.
When Gallagher made his trip, he did so completely under the radar. That was his choice. He was looking to ask questions, to make connections, to gather information.
He surely could have made his trip with a great amount of fanfare, stirring up trouble both before and after he went. Or he could have done what he did.
But at the end of the day, that was Gallagher’s decision.
And this is how it must be going forward when other members of Congress wish to visit Taiwan. It’s important to remember that when then-house Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose to visit the island last year, there were not a few Republicans who effectively lost their marbles. How could she, they asked.
The answer? Because she understands all that’s wrong with China and all that’s right with Taiwan.
This is why Gallagher went to the island, and why House Speaker Kevin Mccarthy has reportedly been weighing making a trip there later this year.