President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) welcomed a delegation of Democratic female lawmakers led by U.S. Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland at the Presidential Office on Tuesday. The delegation arrived in Taiwan Sunday and will stay through Thursday and includes Julia Brownley of California, Jill Tokuda of Hawaii, and Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

In his speech, President Lai expressed his appreciation for the delegation’s support of Taiwan and Taiwan-U.S. relations. Lai thanked Strickland and Tokuda for their efforts in advancing legislation that supports Taiwan’s defense needs and increases investment in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Lai highlighted the shared values of democracy and freedom between Taiwan and the U.S. He noted that Taiwan, the U.S., Japan, and Australia have been working to expand the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) to address global challenges. 

In response, Strickland said she was happy to visit and reaffirmed her support for Taiwan. She emphasized the importance of U.S.-Taiwan solidarity and deterrence to prevent any aggressive actions from across the strait that might require U.S. intervention. She noted that while U.S.-Taiwan relations are strong, attempts to undermine global democratic stability through misinformation and interference in elections persist. She pledged to stand united with the U.S., Taiwan, and global allies in promoting freedom and democracy.