The time has come for the US to “recognize Taiwan as a sovereign and independent country,” former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said in a speech at an event held by the Formosa Republican Association in Taipei yesterday.
Pompeo made the remarks at a launch ceremony for the Chinese-language version of his autobiography Never Give an Inch.
“Recognizing this place, Taiwan, as a sovereign and free nation is true. It reflects the reality,” he said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) promulgation of the Anti-Succession Law and rhetoric about “reunification” of Taiwan are “propaganda.”
“This is an effort to shape the mind of your children and ... the people around the world who do not know the history,” he added.
The passion of Taiwanese he saw on his previous visit to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic moved him, Pompeo said, adding that the nation showed itself to be a resilient democracy led by a competent government.
Taiwan is at another important moment in conducting a peaceful transfer of power following the conclusion of a democratic election, he added.
The US’ supply of self-defense capabilities to Taiwan is governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which stipulates a legal and moral duty to help protect democracy, Pompeo said.
Taiwan is strategically situated to command the gateway between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, and its fall into Chinese hands would lead to tremendous change in the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
As such a development could lead to greater tensions and possibly conflict, defending Taiwan is not a matter of protecting land, but safeguarding the leading edge of global security, peace and prosperity, Pompeo said.
Taiwan has a progressive and free government, while its traditional values and institutions played an important role in its maturation into a modern nation, he said, adding that a democracy’s success depends on striking a balance between modernity and tradition.
Asked to comment on last week’s altercations at the legislature, Pompeo said the free and vigorous contest between opposing values in a democracy should be waged in the realm of intellect and reason, and not descend into fighting or mockery.
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
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
‘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
Taiwan is awaiting official notification from the US regarding the status of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) after the US Supreme Court ruled US President Donald Trump's global tariffs unconstitutional. Speaking to reporters before a legislative hearing today, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that Taiwan's negotiation team remains focused on ensuring that the bilateral trade deal remains intact despite the legal challenge to Trump's tariff policy. "The US has pledged to notify its trade partners once the subsequent administrative and legal processes are finalized, and that certainly includes Taiwan," Cho said when asked about opposition parties’ doubts that the ART was
RSS