The US believes that “it is important that no country be intimidated or isolated,” former US under secretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman told a conference in Taipei yesterday.
Sherman had been invited by the Taipei-based Prospect Foundation to attend an annual seminar on security dialogue involving Taiwan, the US, Japan and their Asia-Pacific partners hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foundation, the Washington-based Center for a New American Security and the Tokyo-based Institute for International Policy Studies.
Sherman told reporters before the conference started that she was delighted to be making her first visit to Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
“I’ve long been a strong supporter of the Taiwan-US relationship, but I have never had the privilege of visiting Taipei. I’m very much looking forward to the US-Taiwan-Japan dialogue, which I think is very important for all of their countries,” she said.
“We are obviously at a time of great change and Taiwan is working very hard to build its economy and future, and Japan and the US likewise,” she said, adding that she expected the discussion thereafter to be a fruitful one.
Asked about the uproar over US president-elect Donald Trump’s remarks on the US’ “one China” policy, Sherman said: “I think the US and Taiwan have had a policy that has served us well for decades [in] that any issues are resolved through mutual agreement that we all strive for peace and prosperity.”
“It’s very important to have continuity and consistency,” she said. “The US also believe that it’s very important that no country be intimidated or isolated.”
She later delivered a keynote speech titled, “Outlook for US Policy in Asia,” during a closed-door session of the conference.
Sherman is due to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other officials during her stay.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that the Taiwan-US relationship since 1979 has been a stable one and he expects the relationship to continue to be developed under the next US administration.
Asked if Trump’s choice of Exxon Mobil Corp chief executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state might benefit Taiwan, Lee said it was still “too early to say.”
Taiwan looks forward to working with him, Lee said.
Asked about possible Chinese pressure on Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the wake of Trump’s comments, Lee said the pressure from China “has always existed” and he does not expect major changes in the short term.
Other participants at yesterday’s conference included Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣) and Japanese parliamentarian Keisuke Suzuki.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said that lawmakers from Taiwan, the US and Japan would take part in a three-way dialogue during yesterday’s conference.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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