Legislators across party lines yesterday welcomed US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, marking the first time in 25 years that an incumbent US House speaker has visited the nation.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) cited the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) support for Pelosi’s visit — including from senior party members KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) — as evidence that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) foreign diplomacy is on the right course.
Pelosi’s visit has special meaning for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region as a whole, DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said.
Photo: Reuters
The visit marks a high point in Taiwan-US relations, Wang said, adding that it underscores the failure of China’s oppressive policies and, more importantly, its strategy against Taiwan and the US.
Pelosi’s visit, especially in the face of Chinese pressure, reinforces the idea that the US is reliable and credible among democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific region, Wang said.
Taiwan welcomes visits from its friends, but urges Washington and Beijing to restrain themselves and respect the autonomy of the Republic of China, KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said.
Photo: Wu Chun-feng, Taipei Times
Taiwan should not be a chip on the table in the great game of the US-China conflict, he said, urging visiting US friends to heed Taiwan’s call for more substantial acts of support.
The signing of a bilateral trade agreement, Taiwan joining the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity or being a part of upcoming Rim of the Pacific exercises would all be welcome news, Chiang said.
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) also welcomed Pelosi and looks forward to substantial improvements in Taiwan-US relations, TPP caucus convener Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠) said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
The first visit by a US House speaker in 25 years would be a conclusive sign that the US government and its people support Taiwan’s democracy, Chiu said.
Pelosi’s visit shows that Chinese pressure tactics would not impede US support for Taiwan, New Power Party legislative caucus convener Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said.
It shows that the White House is starting to adjust its policies and outright US support for Taiwan would become the new consensus, Chiu Hsien-chih said.
Meanwhile, Japanese-language Sankei Shinbun Taipei office head Akio Yaita said that Pelosi’s overnight stay in Taipei was a significant breakthrough for Taiwan’s diplomacy, adding that Japanese politicians could observe the same model for visits.
If China failed to stop Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, it would have no leg to stand on to prevent Japanese politicians from visiting Taiwan, Yaita added.
Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu and CNA
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by