Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world.
At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s provocations in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
The US is a Pacific country committed to maintaining the “status quo,” he said.
While China is trying to change the status quo, the US, Taiwan and other regional allies hope to maintain it to foster regional prosperity and growth, he said.
Lai said Pence has long been a stalwart friend to Taiwan, and he wished to thank the former vice president for his contributions to deepening US-Taiwan relations on behalf of the Taiwanese people.
He added that Taiwan expects to continue this collaboration with the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump to foster greater US-Taiwan interactions in trade and other areas.
At an educational forum in Taipei earlier yesterday, Pence said the US would not abandon its allies in the Pacific, and the incoming Trump administration should renew its commitment to providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
Trump’s first administration offered strong support for Taiwan, including the regularization of arms sales. However, Trump, who takes office on Monday for a second term, has unnerved Taiwan during his presidential campaign with his calls on Taiwan to pay to be defended and accusing it of “stealing” the US’ semiconductor business.
Pence said he prayed for a peaceful future for the region.
“I am convinced that America will never abandon our allies across the Pacific and I call on the new administration in Washington and freedom-loving nations around the world to urgently renew our commitment for providing Taiwan with the support it needs to defend itself and its freedom,” he said.
Aside from military support, the Trump administration should also begin negotiations for a free-trade pact with Taiwan, Pence said.
He added that there is a broad, bipartisan agreement in Washington that China represents the greatest strategic and economic threat to the US and its allies this century.
“While America’s perception of China has changed greatly in recent years, I can assure you one thing has not changed, and that is the deep respect and support of the American people for the people of Taiwan,” he said.
China’s annexation of Taiwan would impact global trade, technology and nuclear proliferation, he said.
“The fall of Taiwan would likely spark a new nuclear arms race,” he said. “Smaller Asian nations concerned about Chinese aggression would no longer be confident of American deterrence. American security commitments would be viewed as empty promises, destabilizing not only this region, but the wider world.”
He added that nations would feel “they had no choice but to develop their own nuclear arsenal,” which would increase the risk of global nuclear confrontation.
Additional reporting by AP
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