President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that Taiwan is “at the front line of the fight against anti-democratic forces” at a meeting with US Republicans in Taipei.
Over the past few years, anti-democratic and extremist forces have been on the rise around the world, she said, adding that democracy and freedom face an unprecedented challenge.
“Taiwanese will not give up or compromise a democratic way of life,” Tsai said.
Photo: CNA
From the authoritarian era to democratization, Taiwanese “have never retreated, and never will,” she said.
Taiwan would continue to act as a reliable partner of the US with regard to maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific region, she said, adding that it would work with the US to promote peaceful and stable development in the region.
Tsai made the remarks at the Presidential Office in Taipei while addressing a delegation led by Republican National Committee (RNC) cochair Tommy Hicks.
Members of the delegation included Michigan Republican National committeewoman Kathy Berden, Oklahoma Republican National committeeman Steve Curry, Colorado Republican National committeewoman Vera Ortegon, Connecticut Republican Party chairman Joseph Romano and Nebraska Republican Party chairman Dan Welch.
This is the first time that the RNC members have visited Taiwan, Tsai said.
During the meeting, Tsai thanked the US Republican Party for its support of a democratic Taiwan, “especially for including the TRA [Taiwan Relations Act] and former [US] president [Ronald] Reagan’s ‘six assurances’ to Taiwan, and reiterating the US’ strong support toward Taiwan in the party platform passed at the 2016 Republican National Convention.”
US Vice President Mike Pence and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have recognized Taiwan as a democratic success story on numerous occasions, and US President Donald Trump’s administration last week for the third time announced military sales to Taiwan, Tsai said.
Since the beginning of the year, the US and Taiwan have cohosted a forum titled “A Civil Society Dialogue on Securing Religious Freedom in the Indo-Pacific Region,” and, through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, the Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit, she said.
They have also announced the establishment of an annual dialogue called the Indo-Pacific Democratic Governance Consultations to work toward making the region “more democratic, more free, more open,” she said.
This month marks the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the TRA.
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2