The rest of the world should be more like Taiwan, former US House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan said yesterday at an event at the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) new facility in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) to mark 40 years of friendship between Taiwan and the US.
Ryan made the remarks at an afternoon banquet at the AIT compound, which is to officially open on May 6.
The US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), enacted in 1979, was a rarity, as it had “absolute consensus” in Washington, he said.
PHOTO: CNA
“It is this deep, abiding friendship and bipartisanship that is a testament to the enduring friendship between our two countries,” Ryan said, adding that the anniversary of the passage of the TRA serves as a “picture-perfect display” of a wonderful foreign-policy achievement between Taipei and Washington.
The US could not ask for a better friend than Taiwan in its endeavor to carry out a strategy to ensure that freedom and openness flourish in the Indo-Pacific region, said Ryan, who served as House speaker from October 2015 to January.
What the US wants for the Indo-Pacific region is for it to be free, open, prosperous and innovative, and for the rest of the world to partner with the US in solving global problems, he said.
Photo: CNA
“In other words, we want the rest of the world to be more like Taiwan,” he said. “Taiwan actively uses its own experiences not only to help others, but to help others help themselves.”
“The world desperately needs more of Taiwan’s brand of leadership,” he said.
To celebrate the anniversary of the AIT’s establishment and the TRA’s enactment, AIT Director Brent Christensen said a special message of Taiwan-US friendship would be displayed on Taipei 101 to mark the milestone.
The message features a handshake symbolizing Taiwan-US ties and the display was to begin last night and would be shown for two more evenings, the AIT said.
AIT Chairman James Moriarty said in a speech that further progress across the many dimensions of the Taiwan-US partnership can be expected this year, including in the area of expanding people-to-people ties.
“In this regard, we welcome and look forward to exploring Taiwan’s interest in establishing preclearance operations at [Taiwan] Taoyuan International Airport,” Moriarty said.
According to US Customs and Border Protection, preclearance operations would allow US customs personnel to inspect travelers prior to boarding US-bound flights.
The US currently has 15 preclearance officials in six countries.
There is no firm timetable for the establishment of preclearance operations in Taiwan, as the process still requires more dialogue between the two sides, Moriarty told reporters after the opening ceremony at the banquet.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that in today’s inter-connected world, it is vital that like-minded people move easily beyond their own borders.
“So we are ready, willing and able to work on including Taiwan in the US preclearance program to bring our people closer together,” Tsai said.
US Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson presented Tsai with a framed copy of a congratulatory resolution passed by the US Congress as part of Washington’s celebrations of the anniversary of the TRA’s implementation.
The event was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Taiwan Representative to the US Stanley Kao (高碩泰), Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), among others.
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS