US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky in a telephone call on Wednesday discussed efforts to support Taiwan’s international participation.
“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also explored deeper cooperation on energy issues [between the two nations] and on supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international fora,” US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Blinken and Lipavsky also reaffirmed their nations’ “resolute support for Ukraine” and reiterated the importance of continued humanitarian support to Palestinian civilians during the call, it said.
Photo: AP
They “affirmed our commitment to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to deepen support and cooperation with democratic partners in the region, including Taiwan,” the statement read.
In Taipei, Ministry of Foreign Affairs North American Affairs Department Director-General Wang Liang-yu (王良玉) yesterday thanked the two countries for their support.
Taiwan will continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation with like-minded countries such as the US and the Czech Republic to expand its international space and contribute to the regional and international society, she said.
In other news, US lawmakers have introduced a bill that would authorize NASA to cooperate with Taiwan on mutually beneficial space projects.
US representatives French Hill and Yadira Caraveo, along with US senators Eric Schmitt and Tammy Duckworth, on Wednesday introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Taiwan and America Space Assistance Act of 2024 (TASA Act) to “help address current gaps in our nation’s ability to further cooperate with and support Taiwan’s efforts in space,” the lawmakers said in a news release.
Under the US’ “one China” policy, NASA does not have the authority to work with the Taiwanese agency, the statement said.
The proposed bill would allow NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to cooperate with the Taiwan Space Agency on civilian space activities, including satellite, space exploration, and atmospheric and weather programs, Hill said.
The cooperation would demonstrate to China “the strength of American and Taiwanese cooperation and the United States’ commitment to working with our partners in the region,” he said.
“Both the US and Taiwan stand to gain key insights by working together in the realm of space exploration,” Caraveo said.
Taiwan’s location is crucial to the national defense and security of the US and countries in the region, Schmitt said.
The cooperation, especially in satellite capabilities and operations, “affords the United States the ability to gain key insight into space functions in the region while also further expanding our lines of communication with an important ally,” he added.
The bill also encourages NASA and NOAA personnel to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the Taiwan Space Agency, the statement said.
The bill has to be passed by the US Senate and the US House of Representatives before being signed into law.
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