Sen. Rick Scott: U.S. Leaders Need to Support Taiwan's Democracy

(CNS News) — Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said that the U.S. must be clear that it supports Taiwan’s democracy, when asked if he approved of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) visit to the island.

At the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 3, CNS News asked Scott, “Should Speaker Pelosi have gone to Taiwan?”

Scott, who returned from Taiwan last month, described China’s escalatory threats against his visit to where the totalitarian regime considers to be its territory.

“Yes, I just got back from Taiwan,” said Scott. “And when I was over there — first off — China complained that I went. Number two is they ran sorties into Taiwan airspace, so Taiwan jets had to escort them out.”

“I think it’s important for American leaders to go and be clear that we support Taiwan’s democracy, and we’ve got to do everything we can to put Taiwan in a position that they defend themselves, and then be clear that we will contine to support their democracy,” he said.

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CNS News also asked, “If the People’s Republic of China attacks her [Taiwan], how should the U.S. respond?”

“I think we need to defend the democracy of Taiwan,” said Scott. “I have a bill that does that. I have a bill that reduces the ambiguity [and] says that if Communist China invades Taiwan, we will defend Taiwan.”

Pelosi departed Taiwan on Wednesday after meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and visiting the National Human Rights museum.

China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that its military will conduct a series of live-fire drills from Aug. 4- 7 in six different areas around the island, according to Aljazeera.

Scott co-sponsored S.4652, a bill that would loan and lease defense items or information to the Government of Taiwan.

Taiwan News reports that from July 7-9, Scott met with several Taiwanese government officials, including Democratic Progressive Party Legislator and International Affairs Director Lo Chi-cheng.

Chi-cheng reportedly said that he “could tell the senator…truly supports” Taiwan.

Like Pelosi, Scott was not intimidated by China sending sorties in Taiwan to protest his meeting with Chi-Cheng.

“I strongly condemn Communist China’s military aggression toward Taiwan,” Scott wrote on Twitter July 8. “These shameful intimidation tactics will never weaken my unwavering commitment to supporting freedom & democracy for ALL & protecting the national security interests of the United States.”

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