Taiwan is bolstering military exchanges with US, Tsai Ing-wen says
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the opening ceremony of the Empower Women Empower LAC Forum in Taipei, Taiwan on Feb 15, 2023.
PHOTO: Reuters
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 21, 2023 5:24 AM
TAIPEI — Taiwan is bolstering its military ties with the US and will cooperate even more closely with it and other friendly nations to deal with "authoritarian expansionism", President Tsai Ing-wen told visiting US lawmakers on Tuesday (Feb 21).
The US, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan but is the island's most important international backer and arms supplier, a consistent source of friction in Sino-US relations.
While the US no longer maintains military bases in Taiwan, the two have a good military relationship that has become closer as China steps up pressure to try and force Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty.
"Taiwan and the US continue to bolster military exchanges, and going forward Taiwan will cooperate even more actively with the US and other democratic partners to confront such global challenges as authoritarian expansionism and climate change," Tsai told the lawmakers at her office in Taipei.
She gave no details.
Illustrating those close military ties with the US, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for China Michael Chase, arrived in Taiwan last week for a visit, two sources familiar with matter said earlier. It was not clear if he was still in Taiwan.
Ro Khanna, a member of the US House China Select Committee and who is leading the US bipartisan delegation, told Tsai the group was there to strengthen both security and economic ties.
"We come here to strengthen the economic relationship. Representing Silicon Valley I particularly appreciated the meeting with Dr Morris Chang," he said, referring to the founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, the world's largest contract chipmaker.
"How we can continue to build the economic partnership on technology and also of course the partnership on military and defence," Khanna added.
In August, China staged military exercises near Taiwan to express anger at then — US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.
Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects China's sovereignty claims and says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.
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Source: Reuters
