Taiwanese independence campaigners yesterday launched a drive to send letters and get-well cards to wish US President Donald Trump a speedy recovery from COVID-19.
At a rally in front of a post office across from the Executive Yuan in Taipei, the campaigners thanked the US for helping to protect the nation from China’s military provocations, which upset regional stability.
The event began with the mailing of a typed letter, along with an image of Trump and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), to the White House.
Photo: Jason Pan, Taipei Times
Taiwan Republic Office director Chilly Chen (陳峻涵) said that the image was a reminder of Tsai’s telephone call to Trump four years earlier to congratulate him on his election win.
“In that historic telephone call, Trump referred to Tsai as ‘the President of Taiwan,’ and it was the first time that the nations’ presidents talked directly since breaking off diplomatic relations in 1979,” Chen said.
During Trump’s presidency, Washington passed the Taiwan Travel Act, as well as the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act, and submitted a bill for the Taiwan Defense Act, while US Representative Tom Tiffany last month introduced legislation calling for the US to re-establish formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Chen said.
“These developments are proof of improving ties, of the US and Taiwan moving toward closer relations,” Chen said. “We urge people to write letters, or just write a few words in a get-well card. But it is most important to denote Tsai as Taiwan’s president, to express clearly that Taiwan is an independent country and that Taiwanese have the courage and resolve to pick up arms to defend our homeland against Chinese military incursion.”
Pastor Ian Ke (柯怡政), representing the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, said that he supported the drive to send letters and cards to Trump and first lady Melania Trump, and to express the people’s strong desire for independence, to establish formal diplomatic ties and join the UN.
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