Amid rising global tensions and threats, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and two GOP representatives from her home state reaffirmed their support for Taiwan, which shares sister cities with Iowa and remains an important agricultural products market for pork, beef, corn, and soybeans.
“It is not lost on members of Congress that there are parallels being drawn between the escalating Russia-Ukraine tension and the growing threat to Taiwan from China,” wrote Rep. Hinson and her colleagues U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Randy Feenstra (R-IA) in a Feb. 10 letter sent to Taiwan Ambassador Bi-khim Hsiao. “We want to assure you that our priority of protecting Taiwan remains intact and our commitment to promoting the sovereignty of Taiwan is only strengthened in light of current events.”
Rep. Hinson and the members pointed out that international diplomacy is at a pivotal moment in terms of whether the next century will be defined by shared ideals of freedom and democracy or shadowed by authoritarian dictators.
“To be clear: posturing by bad actors, like Russia and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), will not deter our steadfast support for Taiwan and democracy globally,” they wrote. “We are not afraid of the CCP, and we will continue to fight against the CCP’s malign actions, and for policies that stifle its expanding influence.”
The lawmakers noted that the United States must decrease trade dependence on China and instead emphasize relationships with trusted partners, like Taiwan. “We stand with Taiwan’s efforts for peace and self-determination,” they wrote.