President Tsai meets Tommy Hicks, Co-Chair of US Republican National Committee
President Tsai-Ing-wen met with a delegation led by Tommy Hicks, co-chair of the US Republican National Committee (RNC) on the morning of April 24. She reiterated that Taiwan will continue to be a reliable US partner for regional security so that together, we can promote peaceful and stable development.
In remarks, President Tsai stated that this month marked the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and many of our friends from the United States have visited Taiwan. She was happy to welcome the RNC members, who were all visiting Taiwan for the first time. She expressed hope that this trip will allow them to experience the enduring Taiwan-US partnership, and Taiwan's unwavering commitment to democratic values.
The president thanked the Republican Party for supporting a democratic Taiwan. In 2016, she specially mentioned, the RNC passed a party platform that included the TRA and President Ronald Reagan's Six Assurances for Taiwan, and reaffirmed strong US support for Taiwan.
President Tsai mentioned that US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have publicly lauded Taiwan as a democratic success story numerous times. And just last week, the Trump administration announced its third arms sale package for Taiwan, and normalized the arms sale process. We are seeing the United States take substantive action to show staunch support for Taiwan, she said.
The president stated that the Taiwan-US partnership has become a force for good in the Indo-Pacific region. In just four short months since the beginning of this year, Taiwan and the United States have already co-hosted a Civil Society Dialogue on Securing Religious Freedom in the Indo-Pacific Region, held the Women's Economic Empowerment Summit under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), and jointly announced the establishment of the Indo-Pacific Democratic Governance Consultations mechanism, so that together, we can make the Indo-Pacific region more democratic, free, and open.
President Tsai stated that over the past few years, her guests have all surely taken note of the rise of anti-democratic and extremist forces all over the world. The values of freedom and democracy are facing unprecedented challenges, and Taiwan is on the frontline fighting anti-democratic forces, she stated.
The president emphasized that the people of Taiwan will never abandon or compromise our democratic way of life. Throughout the process of transforming authoritarianism into democracy, we have never backed down, and we never will. Taiwan will continue to be a reliable US partner for regional security, so that together, we can promote peaceful and stable development.
In closing, President Tsai wished Co-chair Hicks and the other guests a smooth and successful trip. She also asked them to convey her best regards to President Trump and his team.
Guests included RNC members Kathy Berden (Michigan), Steve Curry (Oklahoma), Vera Ortegon (Colorado), Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Joseph Romano, and Nebraska Republican Party Chairman Dan Welch.