President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday expressed gratitude to the US government for continuing to sell arms to Taiwan and helping the nation bolster its self-defense capabilities.
In a meeting with a delegation led by US senators Chris Coons and Maggie Hassan, Tsai said that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
Citing US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Tsai said that for four decades the TRA has bolstered the relationship between Taiwan and the US, which is based on their shared values of democracy, freedom, security and human rights.
Photo: CNA
Tsai also expressed gratitude for the US Congress’ bipartisan support for improving relations between the two nations.
Coons, along with senators from the Democratic and Republican parties, introduced the US’ Taiwan Assurance Act, which backs Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, calls for opening dialogue on a Taiwan-US free-trade agreement and emphasizes that Taiwan is a vital part of the US’ free and open Indo-Pacific strategy, Tsai said.
The act also directs the US secretary of defense to work to include Taiwan in bilateral and multilateral military training exercises, Tsai added, thanking Coon for his efforts.
The solid security partnership between Taiwan and the US is vital to regional peace and stability and is in the best interests of the Indo-Pacific region, she said.
Taiwan and the US can bolster their partnership based on the existing foundation and work together to become a force for good in the region and in the world, Tsai said.
“Taiwan is already ready, willing and able to contribute more to the international community,” she added.
Coons and Hassan arrived in Taiwan on Saturday on the final leg of a trip to East Asia that included stops in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and Hangzhou, China.
At a later news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, the senators said the purpose of their trip is to reiterate that the US and Taiwan’s long-standing partnership is based on the US’ “one China” policy and the Taiwan Relations Act.
The trip is not meant to create political news, change the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait or encourage Taiwanese independence or other political views, said Coons, who is a member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee.
The purpose of the trip is to reiterate the importance of US-Taiwan relations and to visit the American Institute in Taiwan’s new complex, he said.
In response to media queries on what advice he would give former US vice president and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden with regards to Taiwan, Coons said he would recommend that Biden spend more time visiting East Asia.
Biden previously visited Taiwan and understands the value of engaging personally, Coons added.
Beijing’s continued provocations in the Taiwan Strait reveal its intention to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the area, the US Department of State said on Saturday, calling for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that four China Coast Guard patrol vessels entered restricted and prohibited waters near Kinmen County on Friday and again on Saturday. A State Department spokesperson said that Washington was aware of the incidents, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from unilaterally changing the “status quo.” “Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in line with our [the
EXTENDED RANGE: Hsiung Sheng missiles, 100 of which might be deployed by the end of the year, could reach Chinese command posts and airport runways, a source said A NT$16.9 billion (US$534.93 million) project to upgrade the military’s missile defense systems would be completed this year, allowing the deployment of at least 100 long-range Hsiung Sheng missiles and providing more deterrence against China, military sources said on Saturday. Hsiung Sheng missiles are an extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) surface-to-surface cruise missile, and are believed to have a range of up to 1,200km, which would allow them to hit targets well inside China. They went into mass production in 2022, the sources said. The project is part of a special budget for the Ministry of National Defense aimed at
READY TO WORK: Taiwan is eager to cooperate and is hopeful that like-minded states will continue to advocate for its inclusion in regional organizations, Lai said Maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region must be a top priority, president-elect William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after meeting with a delegation of US academics. Leaders of the G7, US President Joe Biden and other international heads of state have voiced concerns about the situation in the Strait, as stability in the region is necessary for a safe, peaceful and prosperous world, Lai said. The vice president, who is to be inaugurated in May, welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their support for Taiwan and issues concerning the Strait. The international community
COOPERATION: Two crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank off Kinmen were rescued, two were found dead and another two were still missing at press time The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was yesterday working with Chinese rescuers to find two missing crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank southwest of Kinmen County yesterday, killing two crew. The joint operation managed to rescue two of the boat’s six crewmembers, but two were already dead when they were pulled from the water, the agency said in a statement. Rescuers are still searching for two others from the Min Long Yu 61222, a boat registered in China’s Fujian Province that capsized and sank 1.03 nautical miles (1.9km) southwest of Dongding Island (東碇), it added. CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) told a