Taiwan is committed to working with democratic countries to safeguard regional peace and stability, and aims to join the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), president-elect William Lai (賴清德) told a US-Taiwan Business Council delegation yesterday.
Lai told the delegation, led by former US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Keith Krach, that Taiwan plays a pivotal role in preserving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and as president he would seek to maintain the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Thanking the US government for its strong support for Taiwan’s democracy, as shown in visits by high-level delegations after the Jan. 13 presidential and legislative elections, Lai said that Taiwan would work with the US to open up for more bilateral investment and to establish a more predictable investment environment.
Photo: CNA
He also asked the council for its support in enhancing the resiliency of Taiwan-US supply chains in key industry sectors, and expressed willingness to join the IPEF.
He added that Taiwan is an important and reliable partner for the US in safeguarding security and promoting economic prosperity in the region.
Krach, chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, congratulated Lai and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on winning the presidential election.
He said it was urgent that the US and Taiwan engage in “tech diplomacy.”
It was Hsiao’s first official meeting with foreign dignitaries at the Presidential Office in her capacity as vice president-elect. She and Lai had earlier received a Japanese delegation at the Democratic Progressive Party office.
In other foreign affairs news, Lai in a videoconference call invited the president of the Marshall Islands to attend his presidential inauguration on May 20.
Accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Lai called Marshallese President Hilda Heine, who was sworn in as president on Jan. 2, a good friend of Taiwan, adding that Taipei would continue to support the Pacific island nation.
Heine reaffirmed her nation’s firm and long-lasting friendship, and that bilateral relations remain rock-solid regardless of the test of time or external pressure, a news release issued by the Presidential Office said.
This year marks the 26th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands, built on their common Austronesian roots and values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, it quoted her as saying.
Her government would continue to work with Taiwan and other like-minded countries to contribute to the security and resilience of the Indo-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is today to meet with the first delegation of US lawmakers to visit Taiwan since the elections.
US representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Ami Bera, co-chairs of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus, arrived yesterday, the Presidential Office said.
Bera and Diaz-Balart are to meet with Lai, Hsiao, Wu and other political leaders before departing today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In a joint statement, Bera and Diaz-Balart said the trip aimed to “reaffirm US support for Taiwan following their successful democratic elections, express solidarity in their shared commitment to democratic values, and explore opportunities to further strengthen the robust economic and defense relationship between the United States and Taiwan.”
Additional reporting with CNA
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
HOTEL HIRING: An official said that hoteliers could begin hiring migrant workers next year, but must adhere to a rule requiring a NT$2,000 salary hike for Taiwanese The government is to allow the hospitality industry to recruit mid-level migrant workers for housekeeping and three other lines of work after the Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal by the Ministry of Labor. A shortage of workers at hotels and accommodation facilities was discussed at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. A 2023 survey conducted by the Tourism Administration found that Taiwan’s lodging industry was short of about 6,600 housekeeping and cleaning workers, the agency said in a report to the committee. The shortage of workers in the industry is being studied, the report said. Hotel and Lodging Division Deputy Director Cheng
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
RSS