WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators will embark on a weeklong diplomatic mission to three key Indo-Pacific allies beginning Sunday, March 29, 2026, with stops in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea as concerns over China’s expanding military and economic influence continue to grow.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, are leading the delegation, which also includes Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. The trip runs through April 4.
The delegation is scheduled to meet with senior government and defense officials across all three nations. In Taiwan on March 30 and 31, senators will sit down with President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao, Defense Minister Koo, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung and National Security Council Secretary General Joseph Wu. The group will also tour the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to review Taiwan’s domestic defense production efforts.
On April 1, the delegation travels to Japan for meetings with senior government officials, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru. The following day, the group heads to Seoul, South Korea, where meetings are planned with President Lee Jae Myung, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back. Senators will also meet with leadership at Hanwha Ocean to discuss U.S.-South Korea shipbuilding collaboration and investments in the United States.
Throughout the trip, the delegation will consult with U.S. military leadership at key facilities in both South Korea and Japan regarding the modernization of American alliances in the region.
“Our alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific underpin U.S. national security, support millions of American jobs and help keep costs down for families at home,” Shaheen said. “At a time when China is expanding its economic and military influence, it is more important than ever that we deepen cooperation on defense, supply chains and emerging technologies with our Indo-Pacific partners.”
Curtis emphasized the strategic importance of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship specifically. “Our alliance with Taiwan is one of the most strategically and morally significant partnerships America has in the Indo-Pacific,” he said. “This trip signifies not only a bipartisan commitment to our shared interests with key partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region, but also the leading role Congress has played, and will continue to play, in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship.”
Tillis said the delegation underscores congressional resolve in the face of growing threats. “This bipartisan delegation underscores Congress’ commitment to standing with our allies like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea in the face of growing threats from China and other adversaries,” he said.
Rosen echoed that sentiment, stressing the long-standing nature of the partnerships. “For decades the U.S. has maintained critical partnerships with Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan,” she said. “This trip is an important reminder that these relationships have bipartisan support and transcend any one administration.”
The delegation’s visit comes as Congress seeks to reassert its role in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific, particularly regarding defense investment, supply chain diversification for critical minerals and emerging technology cooperation.
Photo source: Bing