Asked about the potential repercussions of US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the US presidential election, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said that Taiwan-US relations have been growing steadily over the past few years, with both countries sharing common interests and taking responsibility for maintaining safety across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The US is a mature democracy. I believe the American people have the right and wisdom to choose who they think is the best president,” Cho told reporters during a trip to Pingtung County.
“We also wish the US presidential election will proceed peacefully and successfully, so that the US and democratic allies can share the responsibility of maintaining world peace and order,” he said.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) delegation to the Republican National Convention, which was held last week at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, returned to Taiwan on Sunday.
The party said in a statement that it has been maintaining good relations with Republican and Democratic leaders, and has no trouble communicating with them.
“The direction of the US election would affect the global situation and development of relations between Taiwan, the US and China,” the KMT said. “Regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election, the Republic of China, Taiwan must bolster national security by shoring our defense system.”
Apart from proposing a national security strategy draft act to strengthen Taiwan’s national defense and deterrence capabilities, the government should pursue a “two-D” strategy — “de-escalate” regional tensions and risks through “dialogue,” the KMT said.
The KMT would send another delegation to observe the Democratic National Convention next month, it said.
Separately, Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Lin Yi-chun (林憶君) said that the last thing Taiwan should do is throw its support behind one of the two US parties.
“Because in the long run, both the Republicans and the Democrats have a chance to govern. That said, we would lose out if we offended either one of them in this upcoming presidential election,” Lin said.
“What the government should do is have a tabletop exercise on possible political and economic situations after the US presidential election, including the worst-case scenarios,” she said. “It should also be prepared to cope with possible changes in US policy toward Taiwan ... as well as actions that Beijing would take to test how the US would react.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said the US presidential election should not be interfered with, as it is an internal affair.
Whether a Republican or Democratic candidate wins the election, Taiwan would continue to strive to ensure that “supporting Taiwan” becomes an important US national policy, Wu said.
The government and the DPP’s diplomatic aims and strategies are clear and consistent, and Taiwan would continue to play an important role in cooperating and deepening relationships with democratic allies, she added.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin
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