President Tsai meets delegation from National Committee on American Foreign Policy
During a meeting on the morning of December 8 with a delegation from the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP), President Tsai Ing-wen stated that Taiwan-US relations and cross-strait relations are both very important to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, so Taiwan places equal weight on both.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that delegation head and NCAFP President Rosemary DiCarlo is an outstanding career diplomat who is deeply knowledgeable about European and Eurasian affairs as well as the work of the United Nations. President Tsai warmly welcomed Ms. DiCarlo on her first visit to Taiwan as the head of a delegation, and said she looked forward to hearing Ms. DiCarlo's views on current international affairs. Noting that the other delegation members are all long-time friends of Taiwan with a sophisticated understanding of political and economic conditions here as well as the current state of cross-strait relations, the president said she hoped to engage in a full exchange of views with everyone.
President Tsai pointed out that Taiwan's diplomatic efforts are not simply undertaken in pursuit of Taiwan's own national interests, but are also intended to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Taiwan-US relations and cross-strait relations are both very important to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, so Taiwan places equal weight on both. As a member of the international community, said the president, we are willing to maintain friendly ties with everyone and take active part in international cooperation.
Commenting on Taiwan-US relations, President Tsai stated that the two countries have shared values and interests, as well as close social, political, security, economic, and cultural ties. She specially thanked the US government for its many years of support for Taiwan, and for continuing to make good on its security commitments to Taiwan in line with the Taiwan Relations Act, the Six Assurances, and the two countries' shared regional security interests. Taiwan, for its part, will continue to be a reliable partner to the US in the region, and hopes that the incoming US administration will continue to enhance the Taiwan-US security relationship, further deepen bilateral economic partnership, and strengthen industrial exchanges and cooperation.
The visitors engaged with President Tsai in a wide-ranging exchange of views regarding the direction of government policy in Taiwan, Asia-Pacific regional security, the trilateral relationship between the US, China, and Taiwan, and Taiwan's international participation.
In addition to NCAFP President DiCarlo, also included in the delegation were Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy (Distinguished Scholar and Founding Director Emeritus of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars), Evans J.R. Revere (Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings Institution), and Juliet Lee (Project Assistant, Forum on Asia Pacific Security, NCAFP).