Regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November, Taiwan needs to continue working with members of the US Congress, former White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday.
In an interview with the Central News Agency, Bolton was asked whose election would be more advantageous for Taiwan, after his comments to the media that he would not be voting for US President Donald Trump or former US vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic candidate.
There is a “rethinking going on across the board” with regard to US policy toward China, as the long-held assumption that a wealthier China would become more democratic and responsible internationally has turned out to be wrong, Bolton said.
Photo: CNA
“So it’s possible that the Democratic Party will actually be tougher on China,” Bolton said.
“I think that’s important for Taiwan. Hard to say what Trump is going to do once he doesn’t have to be re-elected anymore,” he said.
“From the Taiwanese perspective, I think what that means is, you have to continue the long-standing strategy of working with members of Congress in both the Democratic and Republican parties, where support for Taiwan remains very, very strong,” he said. “That’s the only realistic way to approach the [US] election, whoever wins.”
Taiwan needs to continue its diplomatic efforts around the world to show the contribution that it makes economically and politically, he said.
Bolton, who has published a memoir titled The Room Where It Happened, had planned to visit Taiwan earlier this year, but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that he looks forward to visiting Taiwan soon.
“I’m very much looking forward to coming back. I think no matter who wins in November in the US, this is going to be a very important time for Taiwan in the years ahead,” he said.
Asked whether he plans to publish a Chinese-language edition of his book, Bolton said that he would be interested, adding that there had been a lot of interest in foreign-language editions.
“The book is No. 1 in the United Kingdom and Canada already. So I’m hoping for foreign sales, because I think the purpose of the book is to explain to people mostly in America, but certainly overseas as well, how decisions get made in the Trump administration, and I think that’s useful for people to know,” Bolton said.
US President Donald Trump said "it’s up to" Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) what China does on Taiwan, but that he would be "very unhappy" with a change in the "status quo," the New York Times said in an interview published yesterday. Xi "considers it to be a part of China, and that’s up to him what he’s going to be doing," Trump told the newspaper on Wednesday. "But I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that," he added. "I hope he doesn’t do that." Trump made the comments in
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
A cold surge advisory was today issued for 18 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures of below 10°C forecast during the day and into tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yilan counties are expected to experience sustained temperatures of 10°C or lower, the CWA said. Temperatures are likely to temporarily drop below 10°C in most other areas, except Taitung, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, CWA data showed. The cold weather is being caused by a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, a process in which heat escapes from
Snow this morning fell on Alishan for the first time in seven years, as a strong continental cold air mass sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The Alishan weather station, located at an elevation of about 2,200m in central Taiwan, recorded snowfall from 8:55am to 9:15am, when the temperature dropped to about 1°C, the CWA said. With increased moisture and low temperatures in the high-altitude Alishan area, the conditions were favorable for snow, CWA forecaster Tsai Yi-chi (蔡伊其) said. The last time snow fell at the Alishan weather station was on Jan. 10, 2018, while graupel fell there
RSS