Thirty-six US Senators in a letter on Tuesday urged US President Donald Trump to be mindful of Washington’s vital partnership with Taipei in his upcoming trip to China and meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
The letter, spearheaded by Senate Taiwan Caucus chairs James Inhofe and Robert Menendez, was signed by 36 US senators across party lines, which is more than one-third of the 100 senate seats.
It came on the heels of a similar gesture on Thursday last week by four US representatives — who are cochairs of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus — Democratic representatives Gerald Connolly and Albio Sires, and Republican representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Gregg Harper.
“As you discuss critical issues, including North Korea nuclear proliferation and trade priorities, we urge you to remain mindful and an advocate of our vital partnership with Taiwan,” the letter said.
The letter said Taiwan has for generations proved to be one of the US’ closest allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and is deserving of Washington’s strong support.
“Beijing must understand that our strong ties with Taiwan are not negotiable or subordinate to other, unrelated issues,” it added.
The senators also called on Trump to reaffirm the US’ commitment to letting the Taiwan Relations Act continue to be the legally binding policy of Taiwan-US relations, saying such reaffirmation would demonstrate both Washington’s policy continuity and leadership in the region.
“A reaffirmation would also reinforce the bipartisan and bicameral sentiments of congress,” the letter said, adding that US congressional support for Taiwan remains deep, wide and bipartisan.
“We hope you will make clear that the United States will maintain its relationship and channels of communication with Taipei and also encourage Beijing to maintain its own,” it added.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US later issued a statement expressing its gratitude for the US Congress’ bipartisan support and friendship with Taiwan.
Trump is slated to leave for Asia tomorrow for a 12-day visit, which is to include stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Trump’s upcoming visit has renewed concerns Taiwan might be used by the US president to leverage China’s cooperation on the North Korea issue or negotiate better trade terms for Washington during his meeting with Xi, which is expected to take place between Wednesday and Friday next week.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
COUNTERING THE PLA: While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Phillip Davidson said If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday. “China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington. Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of