A Department of Defense spokesman has described visits to Taiwan by members of the United States Congress in American military aircraft as normal after a group of congressmen arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night in a C-40 Clipper transport plane.

Congressional delegation visits to Taiwan “are fairly routine,” and it is “not uncommon for them to be transported on U.S. military aircraft,” said Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby when answering questions on the visit Tuesday that was condemned by China.

Kirby’s remarks were made after a U.S. C-40 Clipper military transport plane made a brief stop in Taipei on Tuesday night with a group of American senators and representatives on board for a previously undisclosed visit to Taiwan, according to local media reports.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry confirmed the visit but refused to give more details, including members of the delegation and how long will they remain in Taiwan, in accordance with the wishes of the American lawmakers.

Local media reported that the delegation consisted of four Republican senators, including John Cornyn, and two representatives as well as their aides, though no confirmation was given by either the Taiwan or U.S. government.

Variations of the C-40 have been used to transport U.S. officials and legislators to Taiwan at least 10 times since 2012, according to local media, including once in 2012 for a U.S. delegation attending President Ma Ying-jeou’s (???) inauguration to second term.

It was also used by Representative Ed Royce when he headed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for trips in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and by Alex Azar when he was secretary of health and human services in 2020.

Kirby said the latest visit was the second time this year that members of Congress traveled to Taiwan on a military jet, and that “congressional delegation visits to Taiwan are fairly routine.”

The visit was “the normal practice here, and in keeping with our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act,” he said.

The last time U.S. congressmen visited Taiwan in a military aircraft was in June 6 when senators Tammy Duckworth, Dan Sullivan and Christopher Coons arrived in Taipei on a C-17 transport plane.

That was more notable because it was the first time the C-17 had flown to Taiwan since it began service in 1995 and was seen as having more military symbolism.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel