Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday again denied that the US tried to “force the sale” of Boeing 787 passenger planes to China Airlines Co, saying that Taiwan’s national interests must come first when discussing financial deals with other countries.
The Chinese-language United Daily News on Thursday last week reported that US Senator Linsey Graham, the ranking member on the US Senate Budget Committee, “forced” the proposed sale of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner jets during a visit to Taiwan on April 14 and 15.
Wu said he was at the Presidential Office during the meeting, but even he had not heard the statement clearly.
Photo: Reuters
There are many levels of interaction between states and commercial interactions are a pillar for them, Wu said.
“Visiting delegates would inform us of quality products on their end, and we will counteroffer with quality products from our end,” Wu said, adding that over time, such interactions would build a solid foundation for mutual trust.
Deeper financial interactions would help advance Taiwan-US ties, Wu said. “This is indeed a good thing.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chao Tian-lin (趙天麟) yesterday panned media reports that the US’ interest in Taiwan was about business and solely focused on economic benefit.
“These reports attempt to say that US officials’ visits are not conducted to support Taiwan,” Chao said.
Regardless of diplomacy or trade, both sides have to benefit, and any relationship in which only one side benefits would not continue for long, he said.
Graham’s comments were entirely within reason, Chao said, adding that Taiwanese legislators, when visiting Japan or other countries, would also offer the sale of Taiwanese agricultural or industrial products.
Mutually beneficial arrangements between nations are entirely legitimate and reasonable, Chao said.
Citing a dinner he hosted for the Liberal Democratic Party’s Youth Division on Tuesday night, Wu said Taiwanese fruits that are not being exported to Japan — dragon fruits, star fruits, cantaloupes and Asian pears — were featured.
Taiwanese officials’ remarks to the Japanese delegation that hopefully they will enjoy the fruits in Japan cannot be said to “force” the sale of fruits to Japan, Wu said.
Chao jokingly said he hopes Wu has succeeded, as it would mean Taiwanese goods would be exported.
He said China has been buying Airbus and Boeing planes as an extension of its diplomatic efforts, so there is no need for Taiwan to limit itself.
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