TAIPEI, Reuters – The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to visit Taiwan Friday. This will be a brief trip that will focus on meeting with Taiwan’s defense ministry.

This trip is coming as China exerts greater military and political pressure on Taiwan to claim its sovereignty. Taipei has expressed anger at the threat to Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.

Reports stated that the delegation would include Mark Takano as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Colin Allred. Elissa Schekin, Sara Jacobs, Nancy Mace and Colin Allred would all be present. They would also meet Taiwan President TsaiIng-wen.

The Foreign and Defence Ministries of Taiwan declined to comment. De facto U.S. embassies in Taipei didn’t immediately respond to our request for comment.

The lawmakers currently are in East Asia for a Thanksgiving visit to Japan, South Korea and South Korea.

This would be their second visit to Taiwan in this month.

China’s military conducted a combat readiness https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-opposes-us-legislators-visiting-taiwan-by-military-plane-state-media-2021-11-09 patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait earlier this month, after its defence ministry condemned a visit to Taiwan by a U.S. congressional delegation it said had arrived on a military aircraft.

Like most other countries, the United States does not have official ties to Taiwan. However, it is Taiwan’s biggest international backer and arms provider.