President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday underscored her administration’s intent to cement Taiwan-US relations as she welcomed a delegation of US lawmakers led by US Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.
“We thank the US Congress for consistently showing bipartisan concern for Taiwan’s security and its show of support [for the nation] through concrete actions,” Tsai told the delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
The nation expresses gratitude to committee members for their continued efforts to “include policy measures in the annual renewal of the National Defense Authorization Act that enhanced Taiwan’s defensive capabilities,” she said.
Photo: CNA
“Deepening the security cooperation between Taiwan and the US is crucial for maintaining the security of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region,” Tsai said.
Members of the committee demonstrated their attentiveness to developments on the international stage and challenges to democracies, she said, adding that the committee has “protected the national security of the US and its democratic allies.”
Tsai also thanked the US Congress for its support in facilitating the signing of the first agreement under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade earlier this month, which “marked a new milestone in Taiwan-US trade and economic relations.”
Taipei intends to accelerate its efforts with Washington to create a comprehensive solution to double taxation affecting Taiwanese and US businesspeople to promote economic exchanges between the two countries, she said.
The Presidential Office in a news release cited Rogers as saying that Taiwan and the US share a long and important friendship based on the common values of the rule of law, democracy, and the belief in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
The bipartisan congressional delegation led by Rogers includes US representatives Adam Smith, Joe Courtney, John Garamendi, Jill Tokuda, David Rouzer, Gary Palmer, James Moylan and Corry Mills.
In other news, Nikki Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN and a Republican presidential hopeful, on Tuesday said that Washington and its allies should “give Taiwan everything it needs to defend itself,” and make clear to Beijing that aggression would mean “a full-blown economic decoupling that would massively damage China.”
Beijing is “an enemy” to the US and “the most dangerous opponent we have faced since World War II,” Haley said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
“The [Chinese] Communist Party’s endgame is clear. China is preparing its people for war. [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping, 習近平] has openly said it,” she said. “We should take him at his word and act accordingly.”
The US must get Europe to recognize the threat China poses to its security and shake the bloc out of its slumber, Haley said.
Washington should deepen military cooperation with Japan, South Korea, Australia and other partners in the Indo-Pacific region, she said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old