Delegation meeting Taiwan leader reaffirms US commitment

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers has met with Taiwan’s president, who promised to deepen military cooperation between the two sides despite objections from China, which claims the island as its own territory. The group is one of many U.S. delegations President Tsai Ing-wen has welcomed in recent years even as Beijing has stepped up diplomatic and military harassment of Taiwan. China responded to foreign visits by holding large-scale military exercises seen by some as a rehearsal for a blockade or invasion. Tsai said Taiwan and the U.S. will continue to bolster military exchanges and Taiwan will cooperate even more actively with the U.S. to confront what she said was “authoritarian expansionism” and other challenges such as climate change.