Taiwan’s president has urged continued support for her country and warned that its democracy was “under threat” following a meeting with US House speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“It is no secret that today, the peace that we maintained and the democracy we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges,” Tsai Ing-wen said, speaking from California.

“We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat, and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated.”