US senator Marsha Blackburn visits Taiwan amid high tension with China

This is the second visit by members of Congress since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip raised tension with Beijing

Senator Marsha Blackburn, pictured in April, landed in Taipei after visiting the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. EPA

US senator Marsha Blackburn arrived in Taiwan on Thursday, in the second visit by members of Congress since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip earlier this month sharply raised tension with China.

Ms Blackburn, a Republican, landed in Taipei late on Thursday, after visiting the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

US Senator Marsha Blackburn is greeted by a Taiwanese official upon her arrival at the Sungshan Airport in Taipei. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ms Pelosi was the highest-level member of the US government to visit Taiwan in 25 years.

China responded to her August 2 trip with large-scale military exercises that included firing missiles over the island and sending ships across the midline of the Taiwan Strait, seen as a buffer between the two sides. Some of the missiles fired landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be taken by force if necessary, and sees high-level foreign visits to the island as interference in its affairs and de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty.

People walk past a billboard welcoming US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taipei, Taiwan. AP

A US military aircraft carrying Ms Pelosi makes its descent at Songshan Airport in Taipei. AFP

Supporters outside Songshan Airport welcome Ms Pelosi. Bloomberg

Ms Pelosi is visiting Taiwan as part of a tour of Asia aimed at reassuring allies in the region. Getty Images

A Taipei 101 skyscraper message welcomes Ms Pelosi to Taiwan. EPA

Ms Pelosi is greeted by Joseph Wu, Taiwan's foreign minister, at Songshan Airport. EPA / Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ms Pelosi poses for a group photo with Mr Wu and other officials on the tarmac. EPA / Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ms Pelosi is the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AP

Ms Pelosi poses with members of her delegation and Taiwanese officials. AP

Police officers stand outside the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Bloomberg

Police officers await a convoy carrying Ms Pelosi outside the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Bloomberg

Police officers await a convoy carrying Ms Pelosi. Bloomberg

Throngs of media wait outside the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Bloomberg

The convoy carrying Ms Pelosi arrives at the Grand Hyatt. Bloomberg

People hope to take a photo of Ms Pelosi's arrival outside the hotel. Reuters

Supporters gathered outside the Grand Hyatt welcome Ms Pelosi. Bloomberg

Demonstrators show their support for Ms Pelosi's visit. Reuters

The Taipei 101 building lit up with a message reading 'TW hearts US'. Bloomberg

Demonstrators in Taipei show their support of the US as Ms Pelosi arrives. Reuters

Not everyone in Taipei is thrilled by Ms Pelosi's visit. AP

Following Ms Pelosi’s trip, a delegation of House and Senate members visited.

This week, Indiana's governor Eric Holcombe made a visit focused on business and academic co-operation.

US politicians have called their visits a show of support for the island.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations but are bound by billions of dollars of trade and investment.

China has increased its pressure on Taiwan since it elected independence-leaning Tsai Ing-wen as its president. When Ms Tsai refused to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation, China cut off contact with the Taiwanese government.

US congressional visits to the island have stepped up in frequency in the past year.

On Thursday, the executive branch of Taiwan's government laid out plans for a 12.9 per cent increase in the Defence Ministry's annual budget next year. The government is planning to spend an additional $1.6 billion, for a total of $13.8bn for the year.

The ministry said the increase is due to the “Chinese communists continued expansion of targeted military activities in recent years, the normalisation of their harassment of Taiwan's nearby waters and airspace with warships and war planes”.

Also on Thursday, the ministry said it tracked four Chinese naval ships and 15 warplanes in the region surrounding the island.

Songshan Culture and Creative Park in Taiwan. Courtesy Songshan Culture and Creative Park

A family sends off a lantern from the village of Pinxi, near Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan

A cafe in the central Zhongshan neighbourhood of Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan

The Sun Moon Lake visitor centre, opened in 2013 and designed by Norihiko Dan and Associates. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Miyahara store in Taichung. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Sun Moon Lake. Photo by Rosemary Behan.

A giant lantern at Taichung Lantern Festival 2015. Photo by Rosemary Behan

The Taichung Lantern Festival. Photo by Rosemary Behan

A typical Taiwanese meal. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Formosa Boulevard metro station in Kaosiung. Photo by Rosemary Behan

A metro station in Kaohsiung. Photo by Rosemary Behan

The Ten Drum culture village near Tainan is set in an old Japanese sugar factory. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Dihua Street, Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan

The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan

A street food market in Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan

A temple in Taipei. Photo by Rosemary Behan