Biden Sends Unofficial US Delegation To Taiwan - UrduPoint

President Joe Biden sent an unofficial delegation of former US officials to Taiwan on Wednesday in a signal of support for the democratic island as it faces increasingly hostile moves by China.

Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan and vows to seize it one day, blasted the trip.

"China has already lodged stern representations with the US against the sending of personnel to visit Taiwan," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

Former senator Christopher Dodd and former deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg touched down in Taipei on Wednesday afternoon, live television images showed.

They are expected to meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday.

"Once again this visit demonstrates the firm relationship between Taiwan and the United States," said Taiwan's presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang.

"It is strong as a rock." Taiwan's 23 million people live under the constant threat of invasion by authoritarian Beijing, which uses diplomatic, economic and military pressure to keep the island isolated on the world stage.

Beijing bristles whenever countries send delegations to or maintain contacts with Taiwan. ...