US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said that Washington wanted to make sure that Taiwan could not be coerced by China to do things “against the will of its people.”
Blinken said that he had very good talks with president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the US Department of State last summer and that “we have strongly encouraged the Chinese to engage with her and to engage with Taiwan.”
He was testifying on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in a hearing, titled “America as a Pacific Power: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia.”
US Representative Steve Chabot said that China would very likely “act up and try to throw its weight around” with Tsai’s inauguration on May 20 and the Democratic Progressive Party’s coming to power.
He said that China was a “classic bully” and that Beijing would want to show its displeasure.
“Taiwan is a very important US ally,” Chabot said.
He said that China has 1,600 missiles pointed at Taiwan and that Beijing is also building and militarizing islands, “to the great dismay” of its neighbors.
“And this is all occurring at a time when this administration, unfortunately, is trying to reduce the size of our military, including our navy, which I think is a terrible idea,” Chabot said.
He said the US should ensure that Taiwan has a sufficient, modernized military and that it is able to keep China from acting out.
“I think the only time China ever acts is when they think Taiwan is weak and when they think that the US lacks the resolve to defend Taiwan,” Chabot said.
“What would you say, on behalf of the administration, to reassure Taiwan that the US will have its back?” Chabot asked Blinken.
“First of all, Taiwan has given the world a very vivid illustration of what a democratic election is and of what a democratic transition is,” Blinken said. “That was a very powerful message.”
Blinken said that he “very much agreed” that what gave Taiwan the confidence to engage with China was support from the US, including arms sales.
“We want to make sure that Taiwan cannot be coerced into doing things against the will of its people,” Blinken said. “I think we notified something like US$14 billion in arms sales since 2010. We continue to look very actively at that.”
Blinken said the US Navy has about 60 percent of its ships in the Asia-Pacific region.
“We take very seriously that Taiwan must feel confident if it is to engage from a position of strength with the mainland,” he said.
Blinken said the White House also wanted to make sure that Taiwan and the talents of its people were able to be employed around the world against global challenges.
“Part of that is to make sure that Taiwan can be represented in international organizations and we have been working very hard on that,” he said.
Blinken said that the administration has been working “across the board” to strengthen US ties with Taiwan and “support its efforts.”
In the hearing’s opening, Blinken said the administration continued to call on both sides of the Strait to communicate with dignity and respect.
“We look forward to working with Taiwan’s first female president and leaders from all parties to further strengthen our relationship,” he said.
Blinken said the US had enhanced its military standing in the Asia-Pacific region, deploying some of the most advanced military equipment there.
“They include F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter jets, P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, continuous deployments of B-2 and B-52 strategic bombers and also our newest surface warfare ships, like the amphibious assault ship USS America, and all three of our newest class of stealth destroyers, which will be homeported with the Pacific fleet,” he said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS