President Tsai Ing-wen (center) gives the thumbs-up to Taiwan-U.S. relations along with the CSIS Taiwan-U.S. Policy Program delegation at the Presidential Office June 25 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of PO)

President Tsai Ing-wen said June 25 that Taiwan is committed to expanding cooperation and exchanges with the U.S. while promoting a more free and open Indo-Pacific.
 
In the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, the like-minded partners are working even closer together across a broad spectrum of areas such as national defense and trade, Tsai said.
 
There have been major breakthroughs in the two-way ties since she took office in 2016, Tsai said, citing three arms sales packages approved by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, upgraded courtesies during her transit stops in the U.S., visits by high-level officials and passage by U.S. Congress of important legislation reaffirming support for Taiwan.
 
Tsai made the remarks while receiving a Taiwan-U.S. Policy Program delegation led by Bonnie Glaser, a project director of Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.
 
According to Tsai, the Taiwan-U.S. economic relationship is going from strength to strength. This is evidenced by Taiwan’s largest delegation at the recently concluded SelectUSA Investment Summit, as well as the fact that Taiwan is the 11th largest trading partner of the U.S.
 
Tsai said the two sides also share values like freedom, democracy and human rights, making the enduring partnership a force for good in the Indo-Pacific. In addition to protecting the people’s free and democratic way of life, the government is ready and willing to share its related experiences with the rest of the world, she added.
 
Taiwan will continue collaborating with the U.S. and other like-minded partners through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, Tsai said, and contribute even more to the international community on major issues. (SFC-E)