American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday pledged the US’ support for Taiwan’s global contributions and participation, and denounced China’s interference in the domestic politics of Western nations.
Christensen made the remarks in his first meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei since assuming the helm of the institute’s Taipei office on Aug. 11.
The meeting, which was streamed live on Tsai’s Facebook page, came just two days after Taiwan severed diplomatic ties with El Salvador after learning of its decision to switch allegiance to China.
Photo: CNA
Some political commentators have said that Beijing orchestrated El Salvador’s switch of recognition to vent its grievance over warming Taiwan-US ties, the latest evidence of which being Tsai’s high-profile transit stops in Los Angeles and Houston, Texas.
“El Salvador’s receptiveness to China’s apparent interference in the domestic politics of the Western Hemisphere country is of grave concern to the US,” Christensen said, adding that El Salvador’s decision has prompted Washington to reassess its relationship with the Central American nation.
Beijing’s unilateral effort to alter the cross-strait “status quo” is unhelpful and could undermine the framework that has enabled peace, stability and development in the region for decades, he said.
The US would continue to support Taiwan as it expands its significant global contributions and resists efforts to constrain its appropriate participation on the world stage, he added.
Calling Taiwan a reliable partner and an important player in the Indo-Pacific region, Christensen said that Taipei shares Washington’s interests and values, and the US relies on Taiwan to promote regional peace and stability.
“The US and Taiwan stand together to protect what we hold most dear: our freedom, our democracy and our future,” he said, expressing the hope of bringing Taiwan-US ties to a new level of friendship and cooperation during his three-year tenure.
At a time when China is resorting to every conceivable means to increase pressure on Taiwan, the nation needs the help of like-minded nations to express concern over Beijing’s behavior, Tsai said.
“Washington’s statement that Taiwan is a democratic success story, a reliable partner and a force for good in the world is the kind of voice of justice Taiwanese need,” Tsai said.
Taiwan has always highly valued its relationship with the US, with both sides increasing the quality and quantity of visits by officials, as well as bilateral cooperation and exchanges in security matters, she said.
She thanked the US for its support and expressed the hope of reaching more milestones under Christensen’s leadership.
Tsai and Christensen discussed a wide range of issues during their meeting, including bilateral trade, cooperation aimed at expanding Taiwan’s international space and cross-strait relations, the AIT said.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from