President Tsai Ing-wen said April 15 that the visit of former Sen. Christopher Dodd and ex-Deputy Secretaries of State Richard Armitage and James Steinberg at the head of a delegation sent by President Joe Biden reaffirms the strength of Taiwan-U.S. relations.
 
Bipartisan backing for Taiwan in the U.S. has grown steadily since Biden took office in January, Tsai said. This is evidenced by public statements from key officials such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, she added.
 
Other recent indicators underscoring the strength of two-way ties, Tsai said, include the new guidelines for U.S. public sector interactions with Taiwan counterparts issued by the Department of State and a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a coast guard working group signed by Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. and American Institute in Taiwan.
 
Tsai wade the remarks while receiving the U.S. delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. Accompanied by Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu, the group was feted afterwards with a luncheon banquet hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at historic Taipei Guest House.
 
According to Tsai, Taiwan is a reliable U.S. trading partner. Areas in which both sides enjoy success span 5G, or next-generation network, technology, infrastructure and supply chain security, she said, adding that it is anticipated economic exchanges will further strengthen with a resumption of talks under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.
 
Tsai also took the opportunity to thank the Biden administration for reiterating the importance of cross-strait peace and stability. Taiwan is willing and able to work with like-minded partners such as the U.S. to deter aggression and provocation in the Indo-Pacific, as well as cooperate on big issues like climate change and combating disinformation, she said.
 
In response, Dodd—who played a key role in the Taiwan Relations Act’s legislative process—said the U.S. will help expand Taiwan’s international space and support its ability to maintain a rock-solid defense. He also expressed condolences to those affected by the recent train derailment in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County.
 
Echoing Dodd’s remarks, Armitage said the U.S. is determined to back the development of Taiwan’s vibrant democracy, while Steinberg described the local response to COVID-19 as a global model of strong and effective governance. (YCH-E)
 
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