Senator David Perdue (right) with U.S. President Donald Trump (center) and Senator Tom Cotton. Senator David Perdue (right) with U.S. President Donald Trump (center) and Senator Tom Cotton. (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Following Taiwan’s loss of two diplomatic allies and its exclusion from the World Health Assembly (WHA), a second United States senator is changing his itinerary to visit the island and meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), reports said Thursday.

Taiwan has come under increasing pressure from China, which snatched away its allies the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso within a month, while persuading the World Health Organization not to invite the island to this month’s WHA in Switzerland.

Last Saturday, Senator Cory Gardner added Taiwan to his travel plans just before heading out for Asia, the Apple Daily reported. The Colorado Republican serves as chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.

In addition, Georgia Republican David Perdue, a member of the Armed Services Committee who describes himself as one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in the Senate, also changed his travel plans at short notice to add Taiwan, the Apple Daily reported.

Perdue will arrive in Taipei on Friday morning and meet Tsai as well as Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) before heading for Singapore in the afternoon, according to the Apple Daily.

The Georgian is no stranger to Taiwan, as he visited the country in 2015 and 2017, but his sudden move was designed to show support for President Tsai.

During his meeting with the president, Colorado’s Gardner reportedly emphasized the importance of Taiwan’s security and prosperity, with the U.S. sticking by its promises and enhancing close bilateral relations, the Apple Daily wrote.