Taiwan is committed to working with democratic countries to safeguard regional peace and stability, and aims to join the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), president-elect William Lai (賴清德) told a US-Taiwan Business Council delegation yesterday.
Lai told the delegation, led by former US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Keith Krach, that Taiwan plays a pivotal role in preserving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and as president he would seek to maintain the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Thanking the US government for its strong support for Taiwan’s democracy, as shown in visits by high-level delegations after the Jan. 13 presidential and legislative elections, Lai said that Taiwan would work with the US to open up for more bilateral investment and to establish a more predictable investment environment.
Photo: CNA
He also asked the council for its support in enhancing the resiliency of Taiwan-US supply chains in key industry sectors, and expressed willingness to join the IPEF.
He added that Taiwan is an important and reliable partner for the US in safeguarding security and promoting economic prosperity in the region.
Krach, chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, congratulated Lai and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on winning the presidential election.
He said it was urgent that the US and Taiwan engage in “tech diplomacy.”
It was Hsiao’s first official meeting with foreign dignitaries at the Presidential Office in her capacity as vice president-elect. She and Lai had earlier received a Japanese delegation at the Democratic Progressive Party office.
In other foreign affairs news, Lai in a videoconference call invited the president of the Marshall Islands to attend his presidential inauguration on May 20.
Accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Lai called Marshallese President Hilda Heine, who was sworn in as president on Jan. 2, a good friend of Taiwan, adding that Taipei would continue to support the Pacific island nation.
Heine reaffirmed her nation’s firm and long-lasting friendship, and that bilateral relations remain rock-solid regardless of the test of time or external pressure, a news release issued by the Presidential Office said.
This year marks the 26th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands, built on their common Austronesian roots and values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, it quoted her as saying.
Her government would continue to work with Taiwan and other like-minded countries to contribute to the security and resilience of the Indo-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is today to meet with the first delegation of US lawmakers to visit Taiwan since the elections.
US representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Ami Bera, co-chairs of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus, arrived yesterday, the Presidential Office said.
Bera and Diaz-Balart are to meet with Lai, Hsiao, Wu and other political leaders before departing today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In a joint statement, Bera and Diaz-Balart said the trip aimed to “reaffirm US support for Taiwan following their successful democratic elections, express solidarity in their shared commitment to democratic values, and explore opportunities to further strengthen the robust economic and defense relationship between the United States and Taiwan.”
Additional reporting with CNA
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to
RSS