The government is neutral regarding the US presidential election result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, adding that it is in close communication with the US about further arms sales.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday convened a high-level national security meeting about major events that could affect the nation, including the US election.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday told lawmakers that the ministry had conducted several evaluations about the US elections, with one scenario suggesting there would be a period of uncertainty in the aftermath and that China might use its military to increase pressure on Taiwan.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
Asked about the potential impact of the US election, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news briefing yesterday that the ministry remains in close contact with the US as well as Taiwanese expatriates there.
The nation has had long-term friendships with both the Democratic and Republican parties, and successive US administrations have abided by the commitments in the Taiwan Relations Act, she said.
Whichever party wins the presidential election, Taiwan would continue to deepen bilateral partnerships in various areas, she said.
In other news, in response to reporters’ questions, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said that the US election would have an impact on regional situations and the US-China relationship, but no matter how the situation changes, China’s belligerence, its threat to regional security and its intention to use force against Taiwan would remain the same.
The military remains prepared to monitor the situation in the Taiwan Strait and the region, he said.
Yen urged Beijing to help stabilize regional order, instead of engendering more ill feelings from Taiwanese.
In other developments, Reuters yesterday reported that a US$600 million sale of four sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan has crossed a key hurdle in the US Congress and is at the final stage of approval.
The sale would be the first since the US’ policy on the export of sophisticated drone technology was eased by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
The US Department of State could formally notify Congress of the sale later this week, a source told Reuters.
Asked about the possible sale, Ou said the foreign ministry would wait until it receives the US’ formal notification to brief the public.
Yen told reporters that once the Ministry of National Defense receives notification from the US, it would draft a budget to cover the purchase.
If approved, the sale would be the US’ first sale of MQ-9 drones to another nation, he added.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Japan has deployed long-range missiles in a southwestern region near China, the Japanese defense minister said yesterday, at a time when ties with Beijing are at their lowest in recent years. The missiles were installed in Kumamoto in the southern region of Kyushu, as Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China steps up naval activity in the East China Sea. “Standoff defense capabilities enable us to counter the threat of enemy forces attempting to invade our country ... while ensuring the safety of our personnel,” Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi said. “This is an extremely important initiative for
MORE POPULAR: Taiwan Pass sales increased by 59 percent during the first quarter compared with the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said The Tourism Administration yesterday said that it has streamlined the Taiwan Pass, with two versions available for purchase beginning today. The tourism agency has made the pass available to international tourists since 2024, allowing them to access the high-speed rail, Taiwan Railway Corp services, four MRT systems and four Taiwan Tourist Shuttles. Previously, five types of Taiwan Pass were available, but some tourists have said that the offerings were too complicated. The agency said only two types of Taiwan Pass would be available, starting from a three-day pass with the high-speed rail and a three-day pass with Taiwan Railway Corp. The former costs NT$2,800
POLLS CONCERNS: There are concerns within the KMT that a Cheng Li-wun-Xi Jinping meeting could trigger a voter backlash in elections in November Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to visit next month, her party and Chinese state media reported yesterday. Cheng, who took up her role in November last year, “gladly accepted” the invitation to lead a delegation to China, the KMT said in a statement, confirming a Xinhua news agency report. Cheng “looks forward to joint efforts by both parties to advance the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, and work for peace in the Taiwan Strait and greater well-being for people on both sides,” the statement said. Chinese
SIGNIFICANT TO THE WORLD: The delegation’s visit aims to send a clear message that bipartisan support for Taiwan is consistent, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen said The US Senate’s bipartisan support for Taiwan remains strong and Taiwan-US ties would continue for decades to come, a US Senate delegation said in Taipei yesterday, while calling on the legislature to swiftly pass a special defense budget bill. A US delegation led by Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican US Senator John Curtis — both members of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a two-day visit. The other senators of the delegation included Senate Taiwan Caucus cochair Thom Tillis and Senate Committee on Armed Services senior member Jacky Rosen. Shaheen told a news
RSS