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On the morning of March 28, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a bipartisan congressional delegation from the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations of the United States House Armed Services Committee led by Chairman Jack Bergman. In remarks, President Tsai thanked the US for including provisions to help bolster Taiwan's self-defense in the National Defense Authorization Act and for the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which includes a budget for military assistance for Taiwan and prioritizes delivery of defense articles. The president said that going forward, Taiwan will continue to work with the US to expand cooperation within the global democratic community and thereby contribute even more to security, stability, and prosperity throughout the world.
A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:
Let me begin by welcoming Chairman Bergman on another visit to Taiwan. This is the first time Chairman Bergman, Congressman Donald Norcross, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta are visiting Taiwan as US Congress members. Thank you all for demonstrating bipartisan US support for Taiwan through concrete action. Our guests today are key members of the House Armed Services Committee. They have long paid close attention to cross-strait issues and actively promoted cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the US in Congress so as to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.
In recent years, Taiwan has continued to work toward self-sufficiency in national defense. Through programs to develop and produce indigenous aircraft and naval vessels, we are showing the world our commitment to self-defense and to safeguarding freedom and democracy. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the US government and Congress for including provisions to help bolster Taiwan's self-defense in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 signed at the end of last year. Also, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 signed just this month includes a budget for military assistance for Taiwan and prioritizes delivery of defense articles. This support will help further strengthen the Taiwan-US partnership.
In addition to collaborating on security, Taiwan and the US have increased our economic and trade exchanges in recent years. I hope that our guests can continue to make the case to help resolve the Taiwan-US double taxation issue at the earliest possible juncture, which will facilitate even closer bilateral investment and industrial cooperation.
In closing, I welcome you all once again and hope that this trip helps deepen your understanding of Taiwan. Going forward, Taiwan will continue to work with the US to expand cooperation within the global democratic community and thereby contribute even more to security, stability, and prosperity throughout the world.
Chairman Bergman then delivered remarks, first thanking President Tsai for the hospitality. He said that as a delegation, their efforts here are to learn and to build a relationship, but also to seek to understand what next mutual steps are desired and possible.
Chairman Bergman stated that Taiwan is a key US partner in the Indo-Pacific, both through strong security cooperation and economic ties. Their delegation is here, he said, to show Congress's continued support for our partnership. He added that they will continue to assure their colleagues that this strategic relationship is key for the future security of the region, and said that includes a strong Taiwan maritime strategy and how we can work together on shared goals to counter China on their increasingly aggressive actions in the region.
Chairman Bergman mentioned that part of their visit here will be to spend time with US personnel to better understand how close the partnership is and what they can do to further the depth and understanding of the relationship as it evolves.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Sandra Oudkirk.
