Vice President William Lai (賴清德) on Tuesday began his stopover in Los Angeles on his way to Honduras with an online meeting with US lawmakers that touched on bilateral trade and China.
Lai, who is leading a delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony of Honduran president-elect Xiomara Castro today, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at about 6:35am on Tuesday, the Presidential Office said.
Lai, joined by Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), brought up bilateral trade relations and the threats posed by China, said Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋), who is the office’s deputy secretary-general and a member of the delegation.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
Lee did not provide further details on what was discussed, but said US Senator Edward Markey, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Asia-Pacific, and US Representative Mark Takano, chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, were among the 17 US lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Following the meeting, US Representative John Curtis of Utah wrote on social media that he “was honored to lead the first meeting with the VP of Taiwan on his trip to the US.”
“Utah and Taiwan have many ties, ties I have worked to strengthen during my time in Congress,” he said.
The meeting was the first of seven videoconferences that Lai was to have with US politicians and representatives of Taiwanese communities during his 24-hour stopover in Los Angeles, the office said.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Lai was greeted by American Institute in Taiwan Chairman James Moriarty, who boarded the charter plane to welcome the delegation.
The institute represents US interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Lai then went to Hilton Los Angeles and Universal City Hotel, where he was greeted by Honduran Consul-General Maria Fernanda Rivera Fiallos, as well as dozens of Taiwanese expatriates.
Speaking to reporters outside the hotel, Lai thanked the Taiwanese community in the US for its efforts and contributions to increasing Taiwan’s participation in international society.
Lai’s delegation is to depart for Honduras this morning.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
RSS