President Tsai vows to strengthen Taiwan-US relations

2017/07/13

President Tsai Ing-wen said July 11 that the government is committed to further strengthening robust Taiwan-U.S. relations on the back of expanded collaboration and exchanges across a broad spectrum of areas such as the economy and key international issues.

Taiwan and the U.S. enjoy healthy economic ties as illustrated by increasing cooperation in mutually beneficial fields, Tsai said. It is expected that even more opportunities will open up for the two sides in the future, she added.

The president made the remarks while receiving a delegation from Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council at the Office of the President in Taipei City. According to Tsai, the council is an important pillar in Taiwan-U.S relations and plays an influential role in U.S. policymaking on Asia.

According to Tsai, the effectiveness of government efforts to advance Taiwan-U.S. relations are reflected in the participation of the biggest-ever delegation from Taiwan in the fourth edition of the SelectUSA Investment Summit June 18-20 in Washington.

Comprising 140 representatives from 84 Taiwan businesses, including a group of Taiwan business leaders, officials and scholars organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the delegation gained firsthand experience of the U.S. business environment while cultivating connections between the two countries’ large companies, small and medium enterprises, and startups. Launched in 2013 by the U.S. Department of Commerce, SelectUSA Investment Summit is the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment in the U.S.

Concerning the U.S. decision earlier this year to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the president said the move enabled the governments of Taiwan and other Asian countries to reassess their trade policies. Taiwan also places great value on forging win-win trade agreements and the government is closely monitoring all related developments, she added.

On the domestic economic front, the success of the government’s policymaking over the past year is also illustrated by encouraging key indicators, Tsai said, citing a rise in foreign direct investment and export volume, as well as projected gross domestic product growth of 2 percent for 2017.

Regarding collaboration between Taiwan and the U.S. on regional and international issues, the president highlighted the headway made under the Taiwan-U.S. Global Cooperation and Training Framework.

Under the framework, which was launched in June 2015, the two sides address global challenges in areas like education, energy, environmental protection, international humanitarian assistance, regional development, technology and public health. To date, Taiwan and the U.S. have staged eight workshops, reaffirming their dedication to building a comprehensive, durable and mutually beneficial partnership.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=118318)