President Tsai pledges to expand Taiwan-US cooperation on regional peace, prosperity

2018/02/23

President Tsai Ing-wen said Feb. 21 that Taiwan is committed to expanding cooperation with the U.S. in promoting regional peace, prosperity and stability.
 
 The two sides enjoy a strong and unwavering friendship based on the shared values of freedom, democracy and human rights, Tsai said. Taiwan supports the U.S. goal of promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and will continue to pursue opportunities to deepen exchanges on related efforts, she added.
 
 Tsai made the remarks while receiving a 19-strong U.S. congressional delegation comprising members of the House and Senate armed services committees at the Office of the President in Taipei City.
 
 Headed by Sen. James Inhofe, co-chair of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, and including Sens. Joni Ernst, Michael Rounds, Daniel Sullivan and Rep. Trent Kelly, the delegation visited Taiwan Feb. 20-22 to discuss issues including Taiwan-U.S. relations and regional security, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
 Describing the U.S. Congress as a long-term friend of Taiwan, Tsai said that the country has never felt alone owing to the enduring backing it has received from U.S. lawmakers in areas spanning arms sales, international participation, trade and the promotion of high-level exchanges.
 
 According to the president, this support was highlighted earlier this month when the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed the Taiwan Travel Act. This move further enhanced the mutual trust between the two sides, she said.
 
 Passed by the U.S. House in January, the act states it should be the policy of the U.S. to authorize officials at all levels to visit Taiwan to meet with their counterparts and allow high-level officials from Taiwan to enter the U.S. under conditions that demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the U.S.
 
 The bill adds that it should also be the policy of the U.S. government to encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S., and any other body established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the U.S., including activities involving participation by members of the U.S. Congress, officials of federal, state or local governments of the U.S., or any high-level official of Taiwan.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=129781)