The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Friday released the names of delegation members who are to represent the US at president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inauguration in Taipei on May 20.
Former US trade representative Ron Kirk is to lead the delegation and is to be accompanied by former US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte, AIT Chairman Raymond Burghardt, AIT Director Kin Moy and Stimson Center distinguished fellow Alan Romberg.
Kirk’s name as leader of the delegation was leaked to the media a few days ago.
Photo: AP
Some Taiwanese Americans were disappointed with the list of names.
They said this would have been a perfect opportunity for US President Barack Obama to boost relations with the nation by sending higher-ranking officials.
Former Pentagon official and China expert Joseph Bosco last month published an article in The Diplomat saying that Obama should end the longstanding policy of “excessive” restraint in the face of Chinese provocation by sending US Vice President Joe Biden to Tsai’s inauguration.
He said that sending Biden to Taipei would send a “useful message” to Beijing.
There had also been speculation within the Taiwanese American community that a senior senator might attend the inauguration as a signal of strong US support for Taiwan.
An official with one leading Taiwanese American group told the Taipei Times that members were “disappointed” with the delegation as announced by the AIT in Washington.
“Sending a big name would show Beijing and Taiwan’s other neighbors that the US highly values Taiwan’s democracy,” the official said. “We certainly don’t want to show disrespect to Ron Kirk, but we were hoping for someone with political clout.”
Kirk served as US trade representative from March 2009 to March 2013. He served as mayor of Dallas, Texas, from 1995 to 2002 and as Texas secretary of state from 1994 to 1995.
Negroponte is vice chairman of McLarty Associates, a leading international strategic advisory firm. He served as US deputy secretary of state from 2007 to 2009 and later as director of national intelligence.
US House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Chairman Matt Salmon has also announced that he will attend the inauguration.
HONG KONG SECURITY: The president blasted regulations requiring Taiwanese agents or political organizations to provide information on their Hong Kong-related activities President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday warned of countermeasures should controversial Chinese national security legislation imposed on Hong Kong undermine or harm Taiwanese interests. Article 43 of the legislation empowers the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to serve written notices to Taiwanese political organizations or individual agents to furnish information on their Hong Kong-related activities, including their personal particulars, finances, assets, expenditure and capital in the territory. Failure to comply or providing false or incomplete information can result in a fine of HK$100,000 (US$12,903) or imprisonment of six months or two years respectively. Tsai said that Taiwan would keep a close watch on how
JUST QUESTIONS: Expelled reporter Ai Kezhu said that every member of Southeast Television had complied with the law and had not appeared on any talk shows Two Chinese reporters yesterday left Taiwan after the government revoked their accreditation and ordered them to leave amid a probe into allegations that several Chinese media outlets have set up studios and produced political talk shows in Taiwan. The two reporters — Ai Kezhu (艾珂竹) and Lu Qiang (盧薔) — worked for Fujian Province-based Southeast Television and arrived in Taiwan in December last year. The Mainland Affairs Council has launched an investigation after local media reported that Chinese broadcasters — including China Central Television, Southeast Television and FJTV — had set up studios in Taipei and produced political talk shows. Council Deputy Minister
PROBE LAUNCHED: An officer who served as a supervisor in the drill died in an apparent suicide after the accident, which was caused by unexpected waves Two marines who were on Friday injured in a military exercise in the waters off Kaohsiung passed away yesterday, Navy Command said. The marines — surnamed Tsai (蔡), 26, and a sergeant surnamed Chen (陳), 36 — were in a seven-member Marine Corps team that encountered rough seas during a simulated response to enemy forces landing on Taiwan. Their rubber craft overturned in waters off Taoziyuan (桃子園) beach in Zuoying District (左營), injuring four of the marines. They were rushed to hospital, where three of them — Tsai, Chen and a 34-year-old sergeant — were taken to an intensive care unit
‘SIGNAL TO ALLIES’: The US Navy’s exercises are not in response to those carried out by China, the commander of the strike group led by the USS ‘Ronald Reagan’ said Two US aircraft carriers were yesterday conducting exercises in the disputed South China Sea, the US Navy said as China also carried out military drills that have been criticized by the US Department of Defense and neighboring states. China and the US have accused each other of stoking tension in the waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from COVID-19 to trade to Hong Kong. The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan were carrying out operations and exercises in the South China Sea “to support a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the navy said in a statement. It did not say exactly
RSS