During a visit to Taiwan on the Fourth of July, Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., said he hoped one day he will be able to see the island nation gain independence.
Hern, leading a delegation of the House Republican Study Committee for which he chairs, met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Tuesday, the Taipei Times reported.
"Support for Taiwan as an independent and sovereign nation has been one of the founding principles of the RSC and has remained a top priority for 50 years," he said. "What an honor it would be to one day soon see Taiwan experience the same independence that our original 13 colonies enjoyed in the early days."
Hern said the relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. is supported across the political spectrum, and "all Americans of all walks of life understand the importance of our friendship."
The State Department said the U.S. does not support Taiwan's independence as an official policy. The U.S. and Taiwan do not have official diplomatic relations as the U.S. stands by its "One-China Policy," which began in 1979 and states Taiwan is not sovereign from mainland China.
Tsai said she hopes Taiwan and the U.S. can soon sign an agreement to avoid the double taxation of Taiwanese businesses and individuals. Because the U.S. does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the lack of a tax agreement means Taiwanese businesses and individuals are taxed on their income by the U.S. and Taiwanese governments.
Before meeting with Tsai, the delegation met with Taiwan Vice President William Lai, who said he hoped the committee can support Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he said would benefit the economic development of Taiwan and the entire region.