US, China, Taiwan island Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

A US congressional delegation is on a five-day visit to the island of Taiwan, where they will reportedly meet regional leader Lai Ching-te and others. However, Chinese mainland experts believe that these US politicians, who may not hold much significance in Washington, are merely paying lip service by showing support for the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities.

Marilyn Strickland, a Democrat representing the state of Washington, reportedly leads the delegation that also includes her Democratic Party colleagues Julia Brownley of California, Jill Tokuda of Hawaii, and Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

Xin Qiang, director of the Taiwan Studies Center at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday that the US Congress has long been at the forefront of supporting "Taiwan independence" forces. 

With the strategic competition between China and the US intensifying, there are hawkish political figures and forces in the US who advocate using Taiwan as a bargaining chip for the US to compete with and counter China, and in recent years, this faction has grown stronger, Xin noted, adding that those US politicians are trying to play the "Taiwan card" for personal gain, experts commented.

Some experts believe that Strickland and the other delegates, who are not well-known figures in Congress and have little policy influence, are using their Taiwan trip to enhance their political profiles, attract media attention, and showcase their ideological and anti-China stance.

The DPP authorities always warmly welcome these US politicians, often offering appearance fees and other benefits. Even if they are nobodies in the US, they can enjoy VIP treatment on the island, the experts said.

Experts stated that during their trip to Taiwan island, all they need to do is pay lip service to the authorities in the region, adding that their performances are not worth a significant reaction from the mainland.