Taiwan delegation will bring the “highest blessings” to the inauguration of Donald Trump 

The leader of Taiwan’s delegation to Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president next week stated on Saturday that he was traveling to send the island’s “highest blessings” to the US.

The first Trump administration gave Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, a lot of support, including regularizing weaponry shipments, which President Joe Biden has carried on with. On the campaign road, however, Trump rattled Taiwan by demanding that it pay to be guarded.

Before departing for Washington, Taiwan parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu, a prominent figure in the opposition Kuomintang party and a 2020 presidential candidate who lost, stated at Taoyuan airport that despite the heavy snow that was predicted, many international leaders were also on their way.

“All of our delegation members likewise are taking this enthusiasm to the United States to represent (our) 23 million people, and we extend our highest blessings to the U.S. presidential team and to the people of the United States.”

A cross-party group of seven additional MPs is traveling with Han.

Vice President Han Zheng is leading China’s team, and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Trump over the phone on Friday about a number of topics, including Taiwan.

Although Han’s party denies being pro-Beijing, it has historically supported strong relations and communication with China.

Although the United States and the majority of other nations do not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, they are legally required to give the island the resources it needs to defend itself.

China has increased military pressure on Taiwan in the last five years and has labeled President Lai Ching-te a “separatist” and won’t communicate with him. China has rejected his offers of discussions, and he denies China’s claims to sovereignty.

Lai said democracies needed to cooperate in light of China’s threats against Taiwan and Beijing’s cozying up to nations like Russia during a late Friday meeting with Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president in his first term.

“I believe that when the partnership between Taiwan and the United States becomes stronger, the power to maintain peace and stability in the world will also become stronger,” Lai stated to Vice President Pence.