The secretary-general of the Presidential Office heading a delegation to the US highlights the importance President William Lai (賴清德) attaches to the visit, the strategic plans behind proposed investments and an attempt to deepen US-Taiwan ties, a Presidential Office source said on Monday.
Taiwan in March signed a letter of intent with the US on investing in natural gas extraction in Alaska, which, coupled with Lai’s statement that securing Taiwan’s energy supply through US purchases, highlights the prominence the president regards such issues, the source said.
Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安) last week attended the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
Pan told the conference in a speech that Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community, able and willing to contribute to the development of artificial intelligence and the reindustrialization of the US.
Prior to his departure for the US, Pan was told by Lai to “establish efficient channels of negotiations while upholding Taiwan’s national interests,” the source said.
It is rare for the Presidential Office’s secretary-general to head a delegation on behalf of the president or the government, they said.
Coupled with the attendance of Japanese Vice Minister for International Affairs Matsuo Takehiko and South Korean Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Ho-hyeon, Lai tapping Pan to head the delegation underscored the president’s emphasis on the conference, the source said.
A high-profile reception for the Taiwanese delegation — attended by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy and US Senator Dan Sullivan — indicated Washington’s interest in pursuing collaborations, the source added.
The collaboration to extract natural gas in Alaska shows that Taiwan, the US, Japan and South Korea are seeking to enhance the security, peace and stability in the first island chain by stepping up energy partnerships, they added.
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