The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) thanked US Secretary of State Colin Powell for his contribution to Taiwan-US ties yesterday after US President George W. Bush accepted his resignation.
Despite Powell's denial of Taiwan's sovereign status and call for the country's "peaceful reunification" with China during his visit to Beijing last month, the ministry said Powell has repeatedly expressed approval of the democratic development in Taiwan during his tenure.
Ministry spokesman Michel Lu (
Saying that the US takes its responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) "very, very seriously," Powell remarked in the speech that people tend to refer to Taiwan as "The Taiwan Problem."
"I call Taiwan not a problem, but a success story. Taiwan has become a resilient economy, a vibrant democracy and a generous contributor to the international community," Powell said.
"The ministry appreciates Mr. Powell's contribution to increased ties between Taiwan and the US ... He also supported Taiwan's participation in international organizations, including the World Health Organization," Lu said in a press conference.
Lu said the ministry believes Powell's departure would not affect Taiwan-US relations.
"Taiwan and the US share universal values such as freedom, democracy and human rights. Both sides have intense trade and cultural exchanges and have been cooperating well in international anti-terrorism efforts," Lu said.
The ministry would consider the possibility of inviting Powell to visit Taiwan after his leaves office, Lu added.
The ministry declined to comment on the likely impact Powell's replacement, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, will have on cross-strait relations.
"The appointment is yet to be approved by the US Senate," Lu said.
Rice first visited China in 1988 and then again in 1992, made her most recent trip to Beijing in July.
Although it is predicted Rice would take a hardline stance on US foreign policy, it is not immediately clear whether the US' Taiwan policy would depart from its previous position after Rice assumes the post.
Whether Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Randall Shriver, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, will stay after Powell's departure may have significant influence on Washington's future Taiwan policy, observers said.
In a speech she made at the University of Louisville in March, Rice said the US has a very clear policy on China's relations with Taiwan and that it "remains the kind of upright anchor to keep that policy in place."
"There's `one China,' but we expect that no one will try -- in one way or another -- to change the status quo unilaterally. That means that Taiwan should not try to move to independence unilaterally, and it means that China should not provoke or threaten Taiwan," she said.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
HOTEL HIRING: An official said that hoteliers could begin hiring migrant workers next year, but must adhere to a rule requiring a NT$2,000 salary hike for Taiwanese The government is to allow the hospitality industry to recruit mid-level migrant workers for housekeeping and three other lines of work after the Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal by the Ministry of Labor. A shortage of workers at hotels and accommodation facilities was discussed at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. A 2023 survey conducted by the Tourism Administration found that Taiwan’s lodging industry was short of about 6,600 housekeeping and cleaning workers, the agency said in a report to the committee. The shortage of workers in the industry is being studied, the report said. Hotel and Lodging Division Deputy Director Cheng
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
RSS