House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul is leading a delegation of lawmakers to Taiwan as China ramps up its military drills in the region (Pictured right: The Taiwan army conducts a military exercise following China's large-scale joint military drill around Taiwan on May 23, 2024) (Getty Images)
Panetta told Fox News Digital the trip sent a critical pro-democracy message throughout the globe.
"Democracies around the world must stand together in defense of our shared values and freedoms," Panetta said. "This bipartisan delegation to Taiwan is a demonstration of that necessary partnership. I look forward to congratulating President Lai Ching-te on his recent inauguration and continuing to strengthen the bonds between our two nations with an eye toward the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the region."
China’s military, meanwhile, has been exercising a menacing show of force in drills involving "sea assaults, land strikes, air defense and anti-submarine in the airspace and waters to the north and south of Taiwan Island," Beijing's Defense Ministry said Thursday.
CHINA SANCTIONS FORMER REPUBLICAN REP MIKE GALLAGHER AFTER TAIWAN PRESIDENT'S INAUGURATION
A screen grab captured from a video shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command launching large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft in China on May 24, 2024. ( Gui Xinhua / PLA/ China Military/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Chinese government has rebuked the new leader, and a top CCP official issued a direct warning to U.S. lawmakers not to meet with him or other Taiwanese government officials.
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"Any visit by congressional members to Taiwan will seriously violate the one-China principle . . . interfere in China’s internal affairs, undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and send a seriously wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said late last week.
Wenbin called on the U.S. to stop official diplomatic communications with Taiwan, "Otherwise, all consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the U.S."
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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