US Lawmakers Visit Taiwan After Nancy Pelosi's Contentious Arrival That Drew China's Intense Military Drills Off the Island's Coast

A team of US senators arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day visit during which they will see President Tsai Ing-wen, the second high-level group to come while the self-ruled island and China remain at odds.

Taiwanese authorities welcomed the bipartisan group, led by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who said they appreciated the show of unity given the growing tensions with Beijing.

US Lawmakers Arrive in Taiwan To Meet President Tsai Ing-wen

Analysts predicted that the appearance of the five American politicians so soon after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit would elicit a strong reaction, potentially resulting in further military drills.

According to Bonnie Glaser, head of the Asia program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the visit was reportedly planned for months. One member of the delegation, California Democrat John Garamendi, chairs the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, a group with direct involvement over Pentagon expenditure on Taiwan's military requirements.

The delegation is scheduled to meet with Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, on Monday, as well as speak with the foreign affairs and national defense committees of Taiwan's legislature, according to a statement from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China's reaction to Pelosi's visit, the first by a speaker in 25 years, was to threaten Taiwan and warn American friends in Asia against backing Taiwan.

Following the visit, Beijing launched five missiles into waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone, a warning to Japan and the United States not to come to Taiwan's rescue in the case of a fight. China completed 72 hours of live-fire drills last week that surrounded Taiwan and simulated a blockade of the island. China's air force continues to fly combat planes over the Taiwan Strait regularly.

China maintains that Taiwan, a self-governing democracy backed by US military capabilities, is its territory. President Xi Jinping has threatened to conquer Taiwan, if necessary by force, according to New York Times. The team had already visited South Korea, where Markey met with President Yoon Suk-you. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry released photos of four legislators being greeted at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport after arriving on a US air force cargo plane, while Markey landed at Taoyuan international airport.

While China's drills surrounding Taiwan have ceased, it continues to conduct military operations. On Sunday, eleven Chinese military planes crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line or entered Taiwan's air defense zone, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. Thirteen planes flew across the strait on Saturday, as per Reuters via MSN.

China Responds Angrily to US Lawmakers' Visit in Taiwan

According to US sources, Beijing overreacted to Pelosi's visit and used it as an excuse to disrupt the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, China has reacted fiercely to this latest visit, with the state news agency Xinhua posting a piece titled "US politicians should quit playing with fire on Taiwan issue."

Beijing was outraged by Pelosi's visit, as she was the highest-ranking elected American official to visit Taiwan in decades. Taiwan has accused China of exploiting her visit to launch maneuvers that might serve as a dress rehearsal for an invasion. Taiwan performed its drills, simulating a Chinese invasion of its main island. China finally called off the drills, but stated that it will continue to patrol the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's defense ministry reported Sunday in its daily bulletin that it had identified 22 Chinese planes and six ships operating in the Taiwan Strait. Eleven of them crossed the median line, an unofficial border between Taiwan and China that Beijing does not recognize.

China declared zero tolerance for separatist operations in Taiwan earlier this week, reiterating its threat to seize control of the self-ruled island by force if provoked, saying it will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures.

"We will only be obliged to take extreme measures to response to the provocation of separatist groups or external forces if they ever violate our red lines," News 18 reported.