U.S. Delegation Visits Taiwan for Trade Talks, Risking China’s Ire

A delegation including Indiana's governor arrived in Taiwan on Sunday to begin trade talks with Taipei amid increased U.S. political tensions with China.

The delegation will visit South Korea later this week. The officials are going to meet with business and academic leaders in Taiwan and South Korea in order to strengthen Indiana's economic and academic partnerships.

The governor said that he was committed to building an economy of the future with these global partners who were helping propel Indiana forward.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said that they were excited to deepen their relationship with the state of Indiana.

Last week, the Biden administration said it would begin trade negotiations with Taiwan this fall. The United States sees the self-governing island as an important market. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan.

Nancy Pelosi is the most senior member of the U.S. government to visit the island in 25 years. The Taiwanese officials welcomed the visits as a show of support.

Mr. Holcomb was welcomed by a top official in Taiwan. The foreign ministry said in a statement that it believed the visit would help strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and the US.

The ministry said that Mr. Holcomb and his delegation would be in Taiwan for four days.

The U.S. delegation was in Beijing on Sunday. In response to Ms. Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China sent fighter jets and vessels to the area.

Taiwan's defense ministry said it had detected 12 aircraft and five vessels from China.

Despite pressure from Beijing, the Biden administration will still conduct its own military operations in the area.

A State Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the Indiana governor's trip, instead referring to comments by Ned Price, the department's press secretary. Mr. Price said that the delegations were visiting to show their support for the people on Taiwan.

He has been critical of China's military maneuvers in the past.

The staff from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and representatives from Indiana's Purdue University are part of Mr. Holcomb's delegation. The delegation will leave on Thursday.

Barnes reported.