The government is on the right track regarding Taiwan-US relations, and has no plans to alter policies because the US is facing a transfer of political power, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) said yesterday at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Tseng was among the officials asked to report on the post-US election prospects for Taiwan-US economic and trade relations at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
Taiwan and the US have a long-term and close economic and trade relationship, Tseng said, adding that last year the US was the nation’s second-largest trade partner, its second-largest export market and its third-largest source of imports.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Total bilateral trade volume last year was more than US$81.08 billion, an increase of 11.7 percent from 2018, he said.
Several top US companies this year have announced plans to increase investment in Taiwan, and the US administration and Congress have also taken actions to enhance the Taiwan-US economic and trade relationship, he said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday last week said that US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach would lead the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue with Taiwan on Friday, which is to be held in Washington and online, with discussions touching upon issues such as global medical safety, supply chains, 5G security and energy resources, Tseng said.
Asked if the government’s decision to allow imports of US pork containing trace levels of ractopamine as of Jan. 1 would be changed following the US presidential election, Tseng said: “We are a government that is ‘on the right track,’ so the announced policy will not change based on the changes in the US administration.”
When Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator William Tseng (曾銘宗) asked if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) would welcome US President Donald Trump if he decided to visit Taiwan before stepping down, Harry Tseng replied “yes.”
When the KMT lawmaker asked if it would be possible for US Navy ships to dock in Taiwan, and if the foreign ministry would accept a Trump announcement to establish formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Harry Tseng replied that US Navy ships are “welcome to dock anytime,” and that “there is no reason to refuse” an offer of diplomatic ties.
Later in the day, the ministry issued a statement to clarify Tseng’s responses, saying that inviting high-ranking US officials for visits and security cooperation operations have always been important diplomatic tasks, but hypothetical questions such as invitations to Trump or Pompeo to visit or allowing US Navy ships to dock in Taiwan have not been planned by the ministry, nor discussed with the US.
The ministry stays in close and smooth communication with the US, it said, adding that it would continue to follow the principles of mutual trust and reciprocity to deepen the Taiwan-US partnership, the statement added.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft