Representative to the US Stanley Kao (高碩泰) on Wednesday attended a meeting of a US-led coalition to counter the Islamic State (IS) group in Washington.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson presided over the meeting of the Global Coalition on the Defeat of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), the first since US President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.
The coalition, which was established in 2014 during the administration of then-US president Barack Obama, has 68 members.
Photo: CNA
In addition to Taiwan, coalition members in the Asia-Pacific region include Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea.
Taiwan’s participation has been in the area of humanitarian assistance, such as providing 350 temporary housing units to Iraqi refugees displaced by the militant group in 2014 and donating US$100,000 to provide shelter for refugees.
Taiwan’s representative office in the US declined to comment when asked how Taipei plans to continue its humanitarian efforts in the region.
Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) yesterday said that as a member of the international community, Taiwan has adamantly adhered to the universal values of peace, freedom, democracy and human rights.
“With that spirit in mind and based on our shared values, the nation has actively supported and participated in international cooperation on emerging issues, such as humanitarian aid, medical assistance, disease prevention and research, anti-terrorism, and combating transnational crime,” he said.
“These efforts are aimed at making Taiwan an indispensable partner of the international community,” he added.
The meeting coincided with a terror attack in London, where an assailant in a car plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, before running through the gates of the British Parliament and fatally stabbing an unarmed police officer.
He was shot dead by police officers.
The attack left four people dead, including the assailant, and at least 40 injured.
In a written statement, Tillerson condemned “these horrific acts of violence,” saying that “whether they were carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference.”
He also extended his condolences to the victims’ families.
Trump telephoned British Prime Minister Theresa May to offer his condolences over the attack, praising the “prompt response” by UK security forces and first responders, and pledged the US’ “full support and cooperation” in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice.
Additional reporting by Stacy Hsu
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