Unofficial US Delegation Arrives In Taiwan

President Joe Biden sent an unofficial delegation of former US officials to Taiwan on Wednesday in a signal of support for the democratic island as it faces increasingly hostile moves by Beijing.

Former senator Christopher Dodd and former deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg touched down in Taipei on Wednesday afternoon, live television images showed.

They are expected to meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday.

"Once again this visit demonstrates the firm relationship between Taiwan and the United States," said presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang. "It is strong as a rock."

Over the past year, Beijing's sabre-rattling has increased considerably with fighter jets and nuclear-capable bombers breaching Taipei's air defence zone on a near-daily basis. A record 25 Chinese military jets and bombers breached the defence zone on Monday.

Washington has diplomatically recognised Beijing over Taipei since 1979. But it maintains relations with Taipei and is bound by an act of Congress to sell the island defensive weapons. It also opposes any attempt by the mainland to change Taiwan's future by force.

This week's delegation comes on the 42nd anniversary of that legislation – the Taiwan Relations Act – which Biden signed when he was a young senator.

It also comes after the State Department said on Friday it was issuing new guidelines allowing US officials to meet more easily with Taiwanese counterparts.

Biden's predecessor Donald Trump ramped up contacts and visits to Taiwan by US officials as relations between Washington and Beijing plunged over a host of issues.

Biden has made clear he wishes to cooperate with China on common causes such as climate change.

But concerns about China under President Xi Jinping have become a rare bipartisan issue in Washington and Biden has maintained a tough line with Beijing over its human rights record and threats towards Taiwan.

US climate envoy John Kerry will visit Beijing later this week in the first trip there by the Biden administration, seeking to raise global ambitions despite soaring tensions with the country on other fronts.

"We have big disagreements with China on some key issues, absolutely. But climate has to stand alone," Kerry told CNN. (AFP)