Taiwan should heed the lessons of Hong Kong and not underestimate China’s intentions, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis said on Tuesday during a visit by a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers. The trip comes amid discussions over Taiwan’s stalled defence spending.
Defence Spending Stalled in Parliament
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has proposed an additional $40 billion to strengthen the island’s defences against China, which claims Taiwan as its territory. The U.S. administration has backed the plan, but opposition-controlled parliament has slowed approval. The opposition insists it supports defence spending in principle but refuses to sign “blank cheques.”
Hong Kong as a Warning
Tillis, a Republican, stressed that Hong Kong offers a clear example of China’s intentions. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with partial autonomy, but Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 that critics say curtailed freedoms. China defends the law as necessary to restore stability after months of unrest.
“And I think my biggest worry for Taiwan is that they underestimate the intentions of China, which I think were made very, very clear by what happened to Hong Kong. And so, yes, we would love peace, but please don’t be naive,” Tillis said.
US Senators Meet Taiwan Leaders
Tillis and other senators, including Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met President Lai on Monday to discuss defence and security issues.
China Extends Outreach to Opposition Party
On the same day, China invited Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, to visit Beijing. Cheng accepted the invitation, calling the trip a peace mission. Taiwan’s government responded by reaffirming that China’s ambitions to “annex” the island remain unchanged.
“While we may have ideals about peace, we should not harbour illusions,” said the Mainland Affairs Council, responsible for Taiwan policy.
With information from Reuters.
