A delegation from the Taiwan-USA Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association on Wednesday visited the US Department of State in Washington to meet Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇), one of the eight legislators in the delegation, said the meeting signified more stable Taiwan-US relations.
While Taiwanese legislators have visited the State Department individually before, it was the first time they were able to meet senior US officials as a group, Wang said on Wednesday night at the Twin Oaks Estate in Washington.
Photo: Nadia Tsao, Taipei Times
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has not yet tapped an official to head the bureau, but there are signs that US President Donald Trump’s government is leaning toward a continuation of policies enacted by former US president Barack Obama’s administration in its second term by gradually changing some guiding principles, which restricted US actions, on certain policies for the potential normalization of relations with Taiwan.
DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said the delegation’s visit focused on issues relating to finance and trade, national security and Taiwan’s participation in global events.
Taiwan is especially concerned if Trump’s Asia-Pacific financial policies would focus on bilateral accords, Hsiao said.
Photo from Wang Ding-yu’s Facebook account
Although Trump’s attitude toward international organizations and multilateral treaties appears to be far different from past US policies, Taiwan should endeavor to win the US’ support for its participation in international events and organizations, she added.
As for Taiwan’s participation in this year’s World Health Assembly, Wang said the Taiwanese delegates had broached the subject with their US counterparts.
The US is concerned and would do its best, but Taiwan must rely on itself, Wang said, adding that while the US is supportive of Taiwan, it must prioritize its own national interests.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said that Trump would want to do something different from his predecessor, and would prioritize US benefits and interests, but in the grand scheme of things, he would likely return to pursuing normal relations with a majority of countries.
DPP Legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) said that some Washington hands, citing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as an example, said Taiwan could learn from Tokyo by making its own propositions based on the nation’s needs and interests, and should not passively wait for Trump to make a decision.
Earlier on Tuesday, Wang wrote on Facebook that the delegation met US Representative Ed Royce, Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and US Representative Ted Yoho, Republican chairman of the House Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, on the second day of their trip.
The delegation talked with the two congressmen on issues concerning ways to boost Taiwan-US links, Wang wrote.
The two US representatives gave positive feedback on Taiwan’s hopes to be one of the first economies to begin talks with the Trump administration on bilateral trade relations, a proposed Taiwan Travel Act and Taiwan’s bid for international participation, Wang wrote.
The delegation also met US Senator Ben Cardin, Democatic member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and two Republican senators, Steve Daines and Bill Cassidy, Wang said.
“The advantage of interacting with lawmakers is that we can talk about everything. We do not have to avoid sensitive issues,” Chiang wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Chiang said they talked about the future of the US’ “one China” policy; US trade strategies and Taiwan-US bilateral trade relations after Washington withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) last month; US arms sales to Taiwan; and Taiwan’s pursuit of independence in national defense.
Chiang added that be it in the Senate or House of Representatives, a Republican or a Democrat, most US lawmakers expressed hope for closer cooperation between Taiwan and the US in the areas of trade, economy and security.
The US legislators believe that even without the TPP, Taiwan and the US can continue their trade and economic relationship through a one-on-one channel, he said.
Additional Reporting by CNA
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS