The US is seeking dialogue with China and encourages Taiwan’s presidential candidates to do the same, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk said.
“Dialogue is good. Dialogue is useful,” Oudkirk said during the TV program Da Win Dining (大雲時堂) on Friday.
She said she hopes that US officials can engage more with their Chinese counterparts.
Photo: Screen grab from Da Win Dining’s YouTube channel
The US “would certainly not stand in the way of anyone else wanting to do that,” Oudkirk said, adding that hopefully communications can ease cross-strait tensions.
Regarding Taiwan’s presidential election in January next year, Oudkirk said the election outcome would not affect US President Joe Biden’s promise to Taiwan.
The US’ support for Taiwan is bipartisan and comes from the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, she said, adding that it “has not wavered as our administrations change or as leadership changes here in Taiwan.”
The AIT is familiar with the presidential candidates — Vice President William Lai (賴清德), former Taipei mayor and Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) — and their accomplishments, as it has been working closely with the local governments of Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the vice president’s office, she said.
Having met all three candidates, Oudkirk said: “I like them all.”
The candidates all expressed a willingness to communicate with China from different angles, which is “certainly one that we [the US] would support,” she said.
Regarding US-Taiwan relations, Oudkirk said she thinks that the relationship between Taiwan and the US “is the best that it’s ever been,” and praised Taiwan’s successful democratic transition and robust democratic institutions.
The US supports the “status quo,” which is peaceful and stable, not coercive, and has enabled peace and prosperity in Taiwan, China and other countries in the region, she said.
“Being the director is my favorite part” about Taiwan, Oudkirk said, adding that “it is an honor and a pleasure to work with people. And then Taiwan itself is just amazing.”
The priorities of the AIT include ensuring that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself and promoting the already strong trade relations by encouraging Taiwanese investment in the US and vice versa, she said.
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