U.S. urged China not to overreact to lawmakers’ visits to Taiwan

The U.S. said U.S. lawmakers’ visits to Taiwan were in line with Washington’s longstanding bipartisan policy, and urged China not to overreact to “peaceful visits” by members of Congress or unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

On Monday, the Chinese military said it conducted new drills near the Taiwan-administered Penghu Islands while a group of U.S. congressmen met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and members of Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan.

Commenting on another visit by a congressional delegation, the State Department said, “Members of Congress have been visiting Taiwan for decades, and will continue to do so.”

“It has been clear for some time now that there is one party that is trying to change the status quo,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price. – It’s not the United States. It’s not Taiwan. It’s the People’s Republic of China. It’s the one that’s challenging the status quo, it’s the one that’s trying to disrupt the status quo.”