German lawmakers to visit Taiwan, parliament says

Five ​German lawmakers will visit ​Taiwan for ‌nine days ​as part of the Bundestag's Berlin-Taipei Parliamentary Circle ‌of Friends, the German parliament said on Thursday. * Visits to Taiwan can be sensitive, ‌as China views democratically governed Taiwan as its ‌own territory

* Visit will take place May 23-31 * The stated goal of the visit ⁠is ​to ⁠strengthen economic and cultural cooperation

* The lawmakers are due ⁠to meet Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, former President ​Tsai Ing-wen, members of Taiwan's legislature, government ⁠officials and civil society representatives * President Donald Trump ⁠announced ​on Wednesday he will talk with Taiwan's president, an unprecedented move for ⁠a U.S. leader

* Trump met Chinese President Xi ⁠Jinping ⁠in Beijing last week where Taiwan was a major focus