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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday in the first meeting between leaders from the two countries on US soil since 1979.
McCarthy met the Taiwanese leader at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, despite warnings of retaliation from the government of China, who claim the island as their territory.
At the meeting, the speaker praised the people of the island nation, and celebrated the ‘bond’ between the the US and Taiwan and President Tsai, who he called a ‘great champion of that bond.’
‘The friendship between the people of Taiwan to America is a matter of profound importance to the free world, and it is critical to maintain economic freedom, peace, and regional stability,’ McCarthy said.
McCarthy also asserted that the US will ‘honor our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values.’
In her remarks, President Tsai thanked the speaker and the bipartisan members of congress that joined him at the California meeting. ‘Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated, and we are not alone,’ she said.
Tsai also spoke about rising tensions with the People’s Republic of China in Beijing.
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