President Tsai Ing-wen said Jan. 11 that the government is committed to deepening cooperation with the U.S. across the board to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Taiwan is a front-line defender of democracy, Tsai said, adding that only by bolstering the country’s defense capabilities and strengthening economic and social resilience can the country safeguard freedom, ensure national security and maintain peace and stability in the region.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the U.S.-based Project 2049 Institute. Led by Randall Schriver, chair of the institution, the group includes Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies; Colin Francis Jackson, chair of the Strategic and Operational Research Department at the U.S. Naval War College; Dan Blumenthal, senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute;as well as the institution’s senior directors Ian Easton and Jennifer Hong and associate director of programs Eric Lee.
According to Tsai, the recently announced military realignment plan aims to enhance cooperation with more democratic partners to protect shared values and beliefs.
Taiwan and the U.S. are important strategic and economic trade partners, Tsai said, citing the latter’s numerous arms sales to Taiwan over the years as well as dialogue mechanisms like the Taiwan-U.S. Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.
Tsai took the opportunity to thank delegation members for their attention to Taiwan-related issues, advice on Taiwan-U.S. relations and security cooperation.
In response, Schriver said Taiwan’s success in dealing with the pandemic and its support for refugees in Poland and elsewhere in the aftermath of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine clearly demonstrate that Taiwan continues to be an excellent global citizen.
Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu held a banquet for the delegation.
In a tweet on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official Twitter account, Wu said: “Such a great pleasure to welcome friends from the #US led by @Project2049 Chair Randall Schriver. The expansion of #PRC authoritarianism is a mounting challenge in the #IndoPacific, & all democratic partners must stand in solidarity for freedom to prevail. JW” (DL-E)
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