The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is concerned about possible Chinese interference in Taiwan’s elections through disinformation campaigns, AIT Director Brent Christensen said yesterday in Taipei, but added that the US’ de facto embassy enjoys good relations with the major local parties.
Christensen made the remarks in response to media queries at a news conference at the institute’s offices in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), where he delivered a speech on enhancing people-to-people ties between the US and Taiwan.
The speech was the last of his “four promotes” — promoting US-Taiwan security cooperation; bilateral economic and commercial relations; Taiwan’s role in the global community; and people-to-people ties — that he set as priorities when he assumed the post in August last year.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Asked if the US would send more warships through the Taiwan Strait to help ensure that the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections are fair, Christensen said that the US remains firm in its belief in the freedoms of navigation and flight as allowed by international law.
He sidestepped questions on how the US could prevent Beijing from interfering in the elections, saying only that Washington is confident that the elections would be free, fair and credible.
The US is opposed to any non-peaceful means to determine Taiwan’s future, Christensen said, citing the US’ Taiwan Relations Act, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year.
Washington is aware of China’s attempts to influence Taiwan’s elections, with malign actors trying to undermine the public’s faith in democratic institutions by spreading disinformation, he said.
The US and Taiwan both face challenges from disinformation campaigns and they have been working to combat misinformation by sharing information, mobilizing civil society and working with experts in the region, he added.
Asked if he would meet with People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), the party’s presidential candidate, Christensen said that the AIT enjoys good relations with Taiwan’s major parties and regularly meets with lawmakers, mayors and other politicians.
Christensen in August met with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, and has also had several opportunities to attend events involving President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party, who is seeking re-election.
Asked why there have not been more breakthroughs in mutual visits by US and Taiwanese officials, despite the implementation of the US’ Taiwan Travel Act last year, Christensen said that several deputy assistant secretaries have visited Taiwan this year, but declined to comment on why Tsai remains unable to visit Washington directly.
He also declined to answer a question on whether Taiwan could rely on the US’ support — as US President Donald Trump last month ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, seen by many as a betrayal of its Kurdish allies.
Christensen reaffirmed strong US-Taiwan relations, citing as examples Washington’s approval of several arms sales to Taiwan and many of the detection dogs deployed at Taiwan’s airports to defend against African swine fever being sourced from the US.
POLITICAL AGENDA: Beijing’s cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival events are part of a ‘cultural united front’ aimed at promoting unification with Taiwan, academics said Local authorities in China have been inviting Taiwanese to participate in cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations centered around ideals of “family and nation,” a move Taiwanese academics said politicizes the holiday to promote the idea of “one family” across the Taiwan Strait. Sources said that China’s Fujian Provincial Government is organizing about 20 cross-strait-themed events in cities including Quanzhou, Nanping, Sanming and Zhangzhou. In Zhangzhou, a festival scheduled for Wednesday is to showcase Minnan-language songs and budaixi (布袋戲) glove puppetry to highlight cultural similarities between Taiwan and the region. Elsewhere, Jiangsu Province is hosting more than 10 similar celebrations in Taizhou, Changzhou, Suzhou,
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
COGNITIVE WARFARE: Chinese fishing boats transmitting fake identification signals are meant to test Taiwan’s responses to different kinds of perceived incursions, a report said Chinese vessels are transmitting fake signals in Taiwan’s waters as a form of cognitive warfare, testing Taipei’s responses to various types of incursions, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said on Friday. Several Chinese fishing vessels transmitted fake automatic identification system (AIS) signals in Taiwan’s waters last month, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another impersonating a Chinese law enforcement vessel, the report said. Citing data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the report said that throughout August and last month, the Chinese fishing boat Minshiyu 06718 (閩獅漁06718) sailed through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting its own AIS
CHINESE INFILTRATION: Medical logistics is a lifeline during wartime and the reported CCP links of a major logistics company present a national security threat, an expert said The government would bolster its security check system to prevent China from infiltrating the nation’s medical cold chain, a national security official said yesterday. The official, who wished to stay anonymous, made the remarks after the Chinese-language magazine Mirror Media (鏡周刊) reported that Pharma Logistics (嘉里醫藥物流) is in charge of the medical logistics of about half of the nation’s major hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The company’s parent, Kerry TJ Logistics Co (嘉里大榮物流), is associated with the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the
RSS