A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers has arrived in Taiwan to show support for the island. The visit has drawn sharp criticism from China. On Thursday Senators Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Sasse (R., Neb.), Rob Portman (R., Ohio), and Representative Ronny Jackson (R., Texas) arrived in Taiwan and were met by Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu at the airport.

In an interview, the senators said China was a “bad neighbor” in the Indo-pacific and are supportive of more US military assets in the region. Following news of the senator’s visit, China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement saying the trip was “condescending” and “irresponsible”. In addition, Zhao Lijian (China’s deputy director of the foreign ministry said: “the United States is going down the wrong and dangerous path” by not adhering to the “One China Principle” which holds that only one sovereign state representing China may exist, presently the People’s Republic of China.

The senator’s visit comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi canceled a planned trip to the island after contracting Covid. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had previously called Pelosi’s planned to visit a “red line” for U.S.-China relations.