The US should work with its partners to help Taiwan defend its freedom, US Senator Rick Scott told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at a meeting yesterday.
The US and all other freedom-loving countries should work together to “make sure that Taiwan has the opportunity to decide their future, not have it decided by some foreigner,” said Scott, who is on a three-day visit to Taipei.
Scott, who took office as senator after his two terms as Florida governor ended in 2019, said the international community should continue working together to make sure Taiwan is well-positioned to defend its freedoms, referring to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Photo: CNA
He said that as a member of the US Senate committees on armed services and commerce, he remains committed to the freedoms and security of Taiwan.
He said that he also looked forward to meeting with Taiwanese officials and business leaders to discuss ways to increase bilateral trade.
Tsai said there is a need for “democratic partners to deepen cooperation” in light of several challenges facing the world in the past few years, including, the expansion of authoritarianism, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Taiwan will continue to work closely with the US to jointly safeguard the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
Taipei has policies to grow bilateral trade, she said, citing ongoing talks with Washington about the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade and a Taiwanese trade delegation that visited the US last month.
PRO-TAIWAN BILLS
She thanked the Republican senator for twice in the past two years introducing a bill that would be crucial for the security of Taiwan, referring to the proposed Taiwan invasion prevention act.
Scott was the first US visitor to the Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania and he exemplifies the partnership between the democracies, she added.
She hopes that Taiwan’s partnership with the US will become stronger and closer with Scott’s continued support, she said.
After the meeting, Scott told reporters he believes that “the world has changed” following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
“We all have to put ourselves in a position that we can make sure we defend the freedom we all believe in,” he said.
“I do think it would be helpful if Taiwan participated in RIMPAC and I hope that’s what happens in the future,” he said, referring to the Rim of the Pacific exercise, the world’s largest international maritime drills.
In the US-led format’s ongoing edition, 26 nations have since last month been participating in drills around Hawaii and southern California.
Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-fang and Reuters
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
SECURITY CONCERNS: An FBI agent said it was surprising that the shooter, whose motive remains unknown, was able to open fire before the Secret Service killed him On the heels of an apparent attempt to kill him, former US president Donald Trump yesterday called for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him injured, but “fine,” and the shooter and a rally-goer dead. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting His aides said he was in “great spirits” and doing well. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he