President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen made the remarks yesterday while receiving US Senator John Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, at the Presidential Office.
"In a bid to preserve Taiwan's economic security, stabilize its national security and uphold peace in the Asia-Pacific region, it is necessary for the US government and its Congress to support and push for the signing of an FTA between the two countries," Chen said.
"China's rise is definitely not a peaceful rise. It is an economic and military rise," the president said. "The development of China's economic power has led many countries to harbor a fantasy about it ... China is actively courting ASEAN and Latin American countries into signing FTAs, through which it will work to marginalize Taiwan from taking part in the integration of the regional economy."
China, by vigorously signing FTAs with other countries, is at the same time preventing many countries from signing FTAs with Taiwan, Chen said, adding that "the purpose of this is to demote, trim and localize Taiwan's status and thereby weaken Taiwan's self-defense capability."
Chen shared with his US visitor a new definition of a country's national security.
"The new definition of a country's national security is not limited to just military and national defense, but includes a grander strategic concept that encompasses economic security and other security issues," Chen said. "Should Taiwan be marginalized from integration into the regional economy, what follows will be the marginalization of Taiwan's economic security, which will then affect Taiwan's national security and proceed to the next step of wearing down the security of the Asia-Pacific region."
Expressing gratitude for the US Congress' long-term concern over cross-strait security issues, Chen called on the US Congress not to neglect Taiwan's economic security while placing importance on Taiwan's military security.
"Signing an FTA between the US and Taiwan could prevent the US as well as other countries from having their economies tilt toward China," Chen said, adding that the US, by signing an FTA with Taiwan, would set a model for other countries who could sign similar treaties, and thus consolidate Taiwan's economic security.
Noting that this was Rockefeller's 17th visit to Taiwan since 1985, Chen called the senator "Taiwan's best friend" and expressed gratitude for his "long-term unconditional support" for Taiwan.
Rockefeller, who has been a US senator since 1984, is a member of the Senate Finance Committee.
Prior to meeting with Chen, Rockefeller yesterday morning delivered a speech at a seminar held by the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research and the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation at the Formosa Regent Hotel.
Rockefeller said he would promote cooperation between Taipei and the Bush administration to overcome difficulties in signing an FTA between the two sides.
Aside from meeting with the president, Rockefeller, who arrived in Taiwan on Saturday, also met with Premier Frank Hsieh (
He is slated to head to Japan after visiting Taiwan.
Rockefeller issues call for reform
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
RSS