Taiwan was mentioned at the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week, but there was no “surprise” and the nation was not treated as a bargaining chip between the two powers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Unnamed US senior officials on Tuesday briefed Taipei regarding the summit.
The Taiwan issue, which was not made public previously, was raised by Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) at a closed-door meeting in the US on Saturday, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Leo Lee (李澄然) said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“They did bring up the [Taiwan] issue, but the discussion was very brief. The US made a stereotyped reply based on its long-held position on the issue, with the Taiwan Relations Act [TRA] part of that reply,” Lee said.
Taiwan was not used as a bargaining chip during the negotiations or forced to take sides with the either party, Lee said.
The major significance of the summit was the engagement of the US and China in a “comprehensive dialogue” and a means by which the Trump administration could build a new cooperation framework with Beijing, but the effectiveness of the framework has been questioned, because key diplomatic and defense officials are yet to be appointed as infighting in the Trump team continues, the ministry said.
The summit was centered on the US’ attempt to convince China to rein in North Korea’s nuclear threat, while Taiwan, “as a responsible regional player, is cooperating with UN sanctions against North Korea, such as banning coal imports from North Korea,” Lee said.
While Washington and Beijing are on a course to redefine their bilateral framework, Taiwan should seek to deepen Taiwan-US trade relations with existing trade pacts, and the ministry would seek US reassurance that it would continue to approve arms sales to Taiwan in accordance with the TRA and the “six assurances.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) asked whether the US would delay arms sales to Taiwan due to Chinese pressure, citing a report that the National Security Bureau submitted to the committee warning about potential delays in arms sales or changes to the weapons available to Taiwan due to Beijing’s influence, despite promises from the Trump administration that there would be no trade-offs involving Taiwan’s status or arms sales.
There were no such warnings in reports from the ministry and the Mainland Affairs Council, which evaluated the effect of the Trump-Xi meeting on Taiwan.
Lee said the ministry was “more optimistic” about securing US arms sales, despite Chinese pressure, as US officials reiterated the US’ “one China” policy and the TRA three times ahead of the summit, a rare move that has been interpreted as a reassurance from Washington that it remains committed to Taiwan’s security.
New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) said that the government should pursue deeper ties with the US.
“While it is time to advance Taiwan-US relations, what the government seeks is to maintain the TRA and the six assurances, but we have to break away from the existing framework and seek further political promises and recognition,” Lim said.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS