Allred Statement After Visiting Taiwan as part of a Bipartisan Congressional Delegation

TAIWAN – Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), a member of the Veterans’ Affairs and Foreign Affairs committees, today released the following statement after visiting Taiwan as part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation with the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. 

“Taiwan is a vibrant democracy, an economic powerhouse and a force for good in the world. Despite unprecedented intimidation and threats from China, Taiwan is thriving and has helped lead the world in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It was an honor to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in reaffirming our commitment to Taiwan and its self-determination.

“In the global struggle of autocracies increasingly aggressive behavior towards their democratic neighbors, the United States must stand firm and gather the world in defense of a rules based international order where human rights, the right to self-determination and freedom of expression and commerce are protected.

“I was proud and thankful to be able to spend my Thanksgiving holiday visiting our troops who are deployed in a region that has seen increasing insecurity, and to visit with some of our most important democratic partners in the region. 

“I look forward to applying what I’ve learned to better serve North Texans in my work on the Veterans’ and Foreign Affairs committees.”

Allred spent Thanksgiving in Seoul, South Korea, sharing lunch with American service members stationed at Camp Humphreys and dinner with veterans at the Dragon Hill Lodge.

The bipartisan congressional delegation traveled this week to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to meet with foreign dignitaries, military leadership, service members and veterans. The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano is leading the delegation, which includes Allred and his colleagues Reps. Slotkin (D-MI), Jacobs (D-CA) and Mace (R-SC).