The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday briefed the government on the US’ latest Defense Strategic Guidance, which was released by US President Barack Obama on Thursday, at a meeting with members of the National Security Council (NSC), and military and foreign affairs officials, the Presidential Office said in a press release on behalf of the NSC.
According to a statement released by the NSC, AIT officials at the meeting explained at length the major shift in the US’ strategic military objectives and expressed its determination to maintain security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as its desire to positively reinforce political, economic and military cooperation with its allies.
The statement quoted the US side as saying that “the briefing conducted in a formal manner shows that it attaches a high level of importance to our government.”
The NSC statement added that the US made a particular mention that the Republic of China is a longstanding and staunch partner of the US in the region.
The US also said that it wished to continue to elevate cooperation between the two sides and provide the necessary assistance to help the nation develop its self-defense capability to contribute to peace and stability in the region, the NSC statement added.
When reached by the Taipei Times for comment on the NSC’s statement, AIT spokesman Christopher Kavanagh said the AIT has no comment on the content of the meeting. The AIT has a lot of interaction with the Taiwanese government and the meeting was part of the institute’s routine work, he said.
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