WASHINGTON—U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Co-Chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the CCP, and Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing “grave concern” over reports that the Trump Administration blocked Taiwan President Lai Ching-te from transiting through New York en route to Central America.
The lawmakers call the reported decision “a stark departure from precedent” and warn that it “sends a dangerous signal to Beijing about our willingness to make concessions with regard to our national strategic interests.”
The letter notes that permitting transits by Taiwan’s leaders is longstanding, bipartisan policy and legally encouraged by the Taiwan Travel Act. The lawmakers write that since the Taiwan Travel Act became law in 2018 “Taiwan’s Presidents Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te made five total transits through the United States. Each of these visits demonstrated the United States’ steadfast support for Taiwan and its right to participate in global affairs.”
The members also criticized reports that the transit was denied at the request of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In a pointed rebuke, they write: “America’s strategic relationships should not be concessions in trade talks, and Taiwan should be off the table in any negotiation with the PRC.”
In the letter, the lawmakers urge Secretary Rubio to approve any transit request by President Lai and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Taiwan. They warn that failure to do so will only “reinforce Chinese Communist Party (CCP) narratives that the United States will not live up to its commitments.”
The full letter can be found HERE.