A US lawmaker yesterday urged Washington to increase Taipei’s political, economic and military capabilities in the face of Beijing’s growing aggression.
US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a former chairwoman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, made the remarks in a speech at the Presidential Office yesterday morning, after receiving the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for her promotion of Taiwan-US ties over the past 30 years.
With the 39th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act just eight days away, Ros-Lehtinen said she was proud to say that the relationship between Taiwan and the US is stronger than ever.
Photo: CNA
“For as long as I am in Congress ... Taiwan and the issues that are important at the face of this island-nation have been near and dear to my heart,” she said.
Lauding Taiwan’s vibrant economy, open society, free media, freedom of expression and respect for human rights, Ros-Lehtinen said these elements are why Taiwan is the US’ natural partner and why it is important for Washington to ensure that “Taiwan remains Taiwan.”
“Whether it is a new trade deal, a new weapons system, increasing ties in Latin America, strengthening of participation in all sorts of international organizations, we have got to work together to ensure that Taiwan has all the tools that she needs to protect itself from Chinese aggression and coercion,” she said.
Tsai said in her speech that the US’ enactment on March 16 of the Taiwan Travel Act, which encourages high-level visits by Taiwanese and US officials, was due to the US Congress’ staunch support for Taiwan.
The strong bilateral ties that the two nations have are the accumulated results of the collective efforts of many people, Tsai said, encouraging Ros-Lehtinen to visit Taiwan more often.
Earlier yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement welcoming Ros-Lehtinen and her delegation after their arrival on Sunday for a three-day visit.
The delegation also includes US Representative Claudia Tenney, who was elected in 2016, the ministry said, adding that Ros-Lehtinen and Tenney are both are members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus and important allies to Taiwan in the US Congress.
“During her term as committee chairwoman, Ros-Lehtinen held two hearings on ‘Why Taiwan matters’ In addition to urging her colleagues and the US executive branch to value the Taiwan-US relationship, she has also actively pushed for several Taiwan-friendly bills,” the ministry said.
Other evidence of Ros-Lehtinen’s long-time support includes a speech she gave calling for support for the Taiwan Travel Act when it was being reviewed at the House, the ministry said.
Ros-Lehtinen also received Tsai when the president made a transit stop in Miami on her way to the nation’s diplomatic allies in Central America and the Pacific in June 2016, it added.
The US delegation would meet with senior officials to discuss issues of mutual interest and ways to improve relations between Taiwan and the US, the American Institute in Taiwan said.
‘TAIWAN-FRIENDLY’: The last time the Web site fact sheet removed the lines on the US not supporting Taiwanese independence was during the Biden administration in 2022 The US Department of State has removed a statement on its Web site that it does not support Taiwanese independence, among changes that the Taiwanese government praised yesterday as supporting Taiwan. The Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, produced by the department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, previously stated that the US opposes “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.” In the updated version published on Thursday, the line stating that the US does not support Taiwanese independence had been removed. The updated
‘CORRECT IDENTIFICATION’: Beginning in May, Taiwanese married to Japanese can register their home country as Taiwan in their spouse’s family record, ‘Nikkei Asia’ said The government yesterday thanked Japan for revising rules that would allow Taiwanese nationals married to Japanese citizens to list their home country as “Taiwan” in the official family record database. At present, Taiwanese have to select “China.” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the new rule, set to be implemented in May, would now “correctly” identify Taiwanese in Japan and help protect their rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The statement was released after Nikkei Asia reported the new policy earlier yesterday. The name and nationality of a non-Japanese person marrying a Japanese national is added to the
AT RISK: The council reiterated that people should seriously consider the necessity of visiting China, after Beijing passed 22 guidelines to punish ‘die-hard’ separatists The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has since Jan. 1 last year received 65 petitions regarding Taiwanese who were interrogated or detained in China, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. Fifty-two either went missing or had their personal freedoms restricted, with some put in criminal detention, while 13 were interrogated and temporarily detained, he said in a radio interview. On June 21 last year, China announced 22 guidelines to punish “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists,” allowing Chinese courts to try people in absentia. The guidelines are uncivilized and inhumane, allowing Beijing to seize assets and issue the death penalty, with no regard for potential
‘UNITED FRONT’ FRONTS: Barring contact with Huaqiao and Jinan universities is needed to stop China targeting Taiwanese students, the education minister said Taiwan has blacklisted two Chinese universities from conducting academic exchange programs in the nation after reports that the institutes are arms of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) published yesterday. China’s Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou, which have 600 and 1,500 Taiwanese on their rolls respectively, are under direct control of the Chinese government’s political warfare branch, Cheng said, citing reports by national security officials. A comprehensive ban on Taiwanese institutions collaborating or
RSS