The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday called on Taiwanese and Taiwanese-Americans to support US President Donald Trump’s re-election bid, saying Trump has pursued policies to consolidate political and economic ties with Taiwan, and has proven to be a strong leader, standing up against China’s hegemonic ambitions and military provocations in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
“Our stance is based on the Taiwanese people’s pursuit of freedom and democracy, and that supporting Trump’s re-election is in the best interest of the nation,” TSU interim chairwoman Chou Ni-an (周倪安) told a news conference in Taipei.
“From the many policies implemented by his administration that benefit Taiwan and boost bilateral relations, it is very clear that Trump has been the most Taiwan-friendly US leader since World War II,” she said.
Photo: Wu Shu-wei, Taipei Times
The Trump administration normalized weapons sales to Taiwan and included the nation in its Foreign Military Sales program, which facilitates US defense equipment sales and services to foreign countries, Chou said.
Trump also signed the US Taiwan Travel Act leading to US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar’s visit earlier this month, she said, adding that he was the highest-ranking US official to visit the nation in more than four decades.
Chou praised Trump for his stance in the trade conflict with China, saying that he sent US military forces to deter China’s provocations and incursion in the region and would support Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
“Taiwan should forge connections with both major parties in the US, and collaborate and build mutual trust. Taiwan can strive if it normalizes its diplomatic relationship with US,” said Joseph Ho (何頤), a TSU member who spoke at the event.
Chou said that the TSU had received a phone call from the Presidential Office yesterday, after the office found out about the TSU’s plan to endorse Trump.
She said that the call came from a government official of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who expressed their “concern” about the TSU’s support for Trump’s re-election bid. Chou quoted the official as saying: “Are you sure it is a good thing to hold the press conference?”
“We understand that the DPP, as the ruling party, has burdens to bear and sees things from its own perspective,” Chou said. “The TSU is one of the opposition parties. We believe it is the right thing to do and that we are taking the right course for Taiwan.”
In response to media queries, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) yesterday said: “The Presidential Office respects all political parties and civic society organizations expressing their opinions. We would have no reason to interfere in such matters.”
In related news, at a forum, hosted by DPP Legislator Mark Ho (何志偉) on November’s US election in Taipei yesterday, former American Institute in Taiwan director William Stanton cited opinion polls as predicting that former US vice president Joe Biden, who on Thursday accepted the Democratic nomination as its presidential candidate, would likely win the election.
Stanton added that Biden’s support for Taiwan could be stronger than that of past Democratic administrations.
Prior to the forum, Stanton said that the US public is relatively supportive of Taiwan, due to the US-China tensions, and that Taiwan would be in good position, regardless of whether Trump or Biden wins.
Additional reporting by CNA
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS