US senators visit Taiwan, will discuss trade and meet president

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Three U.S. senators are visiting Taiwan this week and will discuss trade and other issues with President Lai Ching-te, a trip that comes as Taipei pushes ahead with tariff talks with Washington.

The American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei, said in a statement on Wednesday that two Republican senators, Pete Ricketts and Ted Budd, along with a Democrat senator, Chris Coons, were visiting until Saturday as part of a broader visit to the region.

While U.S. lawmakers regularly visit the island, this is the first since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Taiwan, which had been due to be hit with 32% levies as part of Trump's now paused tariff regime, held its first round of direct talks with U.S. officials last week to discuss the issue.

"The delegation will engage in a series of high-level meetings with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, and other significant issues of mutual interest," the institute said.

"Their visit underscores the United States' commitment to its partnership with Taiwan and reaffirms our shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific."

The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said the senators will meet with Lai and other senior leaders to discuss the "close partnership" between Taiwan and the United States, the security situation in the Taiwan Strait and strengthening of security in the Indo-Pacific.

Ricketts is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Edwina Gibbs)