A delegation from the Taiwan-USA Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association on Wednesday visited the US Department of State in Washington to meet Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇), one of the eight legislators in the delegation, said the meeting signified more stable Taiwan-US relations.
While Taiwanese legislators have visited the State Department individually before, it was the first time they were able to meet senior US officials as a group, Wang said on Wednesday night at the Twin Oaks Estate in Washington.
Photo: Nadia Tsao, Taipei Times
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has not yet tapped an official to head the bureau, but there are signs that US President Donald Trump’s government is leaning toward a continuation of policies enacted by former US president Barack Obama’s administration in its second term by gradually changing some guiding principles, which restricted US actions, on certain policies for the potential normalization of relations with Taiwan.
DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said the delegation’s visit focused on issues relating to finance and trade, national security and Taiwan’s participation in global events.
Taiwan is especially concerned if Trump’s Asia-Pacific financial policies would focus on bilateral accords, Hsiao said.
Photo from Wang Ding-yu’s Facebook account
Although Trump’s attitude toward international organizations and multilateral treaties appears to be far different from past US policies, Taiwan should endeavor to win the US’ support for its participation in international events and organizations, she added.
As for Taiwan’s participation in this year’s World Health Assembly, Wang said the Taiwanese delegates had broached the subject with their US counterparts.
The US is concerned and would do its best, but Taiwan must rely on itself, Wang said, adding that while the US is supportive of Taiwan, it must prioritize its own national interests.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said that Trump would want to do something different from his predecessor, and would prioritize US benefits and interests, but in the grand scheme of things, he would likely return to pursuing normal relations with a majority of countries.
DPP Legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) said that some Washington hands, citing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as an example, said Taiwan could learn from Tokyo by making its own propositions based on the nation’s needs and interests, and should not passively wait for Trump to make a decision.
Earlier on Tuesday, Wang wrote on Facebook that the delegation met US Representative Ed Royce, Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and US Representative Ted Yoho, Republican chairman of the House Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, on the second day of their trip.
The delegation talked with the two congressmen on issues concerning ways to boost Taiwan-US links, Wang wrote.
The two US representatives gave positive feedback on Taiwan’s hopes to be one of the first economies to begin talks with the Trump administration on bilateral trade relations, a proposed Taiwan Travel Act and Taiwan’s bid for international participation, Wang wrote.
The delegation also met US Senator Ben Cardin, Democatic member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and two Republican senators, Steve Daines and Bill Cassidy, Wang said.
“The advantage of interacting with lawmakers is that we can talk about everything. We do not have to avoid sensitive issues,” Chiang wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Chiang said they talked about the future of the US’ “one China” policy; US trade strategies and Taiwan-US bilateral trade relations after Washington withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) last month; US arms sales to Taiwan; and Taiwan’s pursuit of independence in national defense.
Chiang added that be it in the Senate or House of Representatives, a Republican or a Democrat, most US lawmakers expressed hope for closer cooperation between Taiwan and the US in the areas of trade, economy and security.
The US legislators believe that even without the TPP, Taiwan and the US can continue their trade and economic relationship through a one-on-one channel, he said.
Additional Reporting by CNA
LOUD AND PROUD Taiwan might have taken a drubbing against Australia and Japan, but you might not know it from the enthusiasm and numbers of the fans Taiwan might not be expected to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC) but their fans are making their presence felt in Tokyo, with tens of thousands decked out in the team’s blue, blowing horns and singing songs. Taiwanese fans have packed out the Tokyo Dome for all three of their games so far and even threatened to drown out home team supporters when their team played Japan on Friday. They blew trumpets, chanted for their favorite players and had their own cheerleading squad who dance on a stage during the game. The team struggled to match that exuberance on the field, with
Whether Japan would help defend Taiwan in case of a cross-strait conflict would depend on the US and the extent to which Japan would be allowed to act under the US-Japan Security Treaty, former Japanese minister of defense Satoshi Morimoto said. As China has not given up on the idea of invading Taiwan by force, to what extent Japan could support US military action would hinge on Washington’s intention and its negotiation with Tokyo, Morimoto said in an interview with the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) yesterday. There has to be sufficient mutual recognition of how Japan could provide
UPDATED TEST: The new rules aim to assess drivers’ awareness of risky behaviors and how they respond under certain circumstances, the Highway Bureau said Driver’s license applicants who fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections or to check blind spots, or omit pointing-and-calling procedures would fail the driving test, the Highway Bureau said yesterday. The change is set to be implemented at the end of the month, and is part of the bureau’s reform of the driving portion of the test, which has been criticized for failing to assess whether drivers can operate vehicles safely. Sedan drivers would be tested regarding yielding to pedestrians and turning their heads to check blind spots, while drivers of large vehicles would be tested on their familiarity with pointing-and-calling
A Taiwanese man apologized on Friday after saying in a social media post that he worked with Australia to provide scouting reports on Taiwan’s team, enabling Australia’s victory in this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), saying it was a joke and that he did not hold any position with foreign teams or Taiwan’s sports training center. Chen Po-hao (陳柏豪) drew the rage of many Taiwan baseball fans when he posted online on Thursday night, claiming credit for Australia’s 3-0 win over Taiwan in the opening game for Pool C, saying he worked as a physical therapist with the national team and
RSS