US congressional visits to Taiwan surge amid tensions with China
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The number of US congressional visits to Taiwan has increased dramatically in recent years, to show support for Taiwan and its democracy in the face of Chinese threats.
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These visits provoke angry reactions from China, which sees Taiwan as its territory. But they reassure Taiwanese people about US commitments to help defend the island.
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For American politicians, trips to Taipei can burnish their anti-China credentials with voters back home. Both Republicans and Democrats now compete to show their toughness on China.
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There are debates around whether high-profile visits like Nancy Pelosi's do more harm than good by provoking Chinese military exercises and missiles near Taiwan.
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While congressional visits are symbolic, the US has much more substantive security cooperation with Taiwan, including on intelligence and defense matters, which goes on quietly in the background.