The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed “sincere gratitude” toward the US for taking “concrete actions” to maintain security and peace in the Taiwan Strait and the region, after the White House on Friday said it would boost trade with Taiwan and insist on the right of air and sea passage in the area in response to China’s “provocative” behavior.
A new trade plan is to be unveiled within days, while US forces are to transit the Taiwan Strait in the next few weeks, US National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell told reporters in a teleconference.
The statement came after Beijing raged at last week’s trip to Taipei by US House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi, launching its largest-ever military drills around Taiwan proper.
Photo: Reuters
Campbell said that Pelosi’s visit was “consistent” with Washington’s existing policy and that China had “overreacted.”
Beijing used the pretext to “launch an intensified pressure campaign against Taiwan to try to change the status quo, jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region,” he said. “China has overreacted and its actions continue to be provocative, destabilizing and unprecedented.”
In response to China’s drills, the US is reasserting its involvement in the area, while reiterating its policy of “strategic ambiguity” — diplomatically recognizing China, while simultaneously supporting Taiwan.
Campbell said the administration would continue to “deepen our ties with Taiwan, including through continuing to advance our economic and trade relationship.”
“For example, we’re developing an ambitious road map for trade negotiations, which we intend to announce in the coming days,” he said.
The US would also reassert its right to use international air and sea space between Taiwan and China, he said.
US forces “will continue to fly, sail and operate where international law allows, consistent with our long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation,” he said.
“That includes conducting standard air and maritime transits through the Taiwan Strait in the next few weeks,” he told reporters.
Campbell did not confirm what kind of deployment would be made to support the maneuvers, saying he had no “comments about either the nature of our crossings or the timings across the Taiwan Strait.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said in a statement that China’s “unprovoked military and econom[ic] intimidation” had “further strengthened the unity and resilience of the global democratic camp.”
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday said that China’s threat of force is undiminished, even though Beijing’s largest-ever military drills seemed to be scaling down.
At a rally in the south yesterday for November’s local elections, Tsai said the Democratic Progressive Party was not just facing rival candidates, “but also pressure from China.”
“Taiwanese are very enthusiastic and love freedom and democracy. So many good international friends have come to Taiwan to support us. This is a normal and good thing, but China threatens and intimidates Taiwan,” she said.
“However, I would like to reassure everyone that both our government and the military are prepared, and I will definitely take care of Taiwan,” she added.
Criticizing China’s decision to halt cooperation with Washington on issues including the fight against climate change, Campbell on Friday said that “we have and will continue to keep lines of communication open with Beijing.”
He added that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) have asked staff to arrange an in-person summit, but he declined to comment on reports that this could take place during the G20 meeting in Bali in November.
“We don’t have anything further in terms of details on time or location,” he said.
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
CHIPS AND DEFENSE: Trump said the US had lost its chip business and Taipei should pay it for defense, and added that ‘we’re no different than an insurance company’ Taiwan-US relations are solid, and both sides are in agreement that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region are everyone’s concern, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday following comments by former US president Donald Trump that Taiwan “should pay” for US defense. Taiwan is thankful to the US for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in international organizations, Cho told a news conference in Taipei. “I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100 percent of our chip business,” Trump told Bloomberg on June 25 in an interview that was published on Tuesday. “I think
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
SHOW OF SUPPORT: Taiwan has been one of the largest buyers of US defense equipment, supporting American businesses and jobs, US lawmakers said Taiwan has been paying for its own defense, a US Department of State official said on Wednesday, adding that purchases of military equipment are important to the US economy and for ensuring regional security. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was asked at a news conference about comments by former US president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in November’s US presidential election, who said during an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that Taiwan should pay Washington for its defense needs. “The purchases that they [Taiwan] have made not only are important, we believe, to regional security, but are important to the United States economy,”