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On the morning of April 23, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In remarks, President Tsai thanked the delegation for having long focused on Taiwan-related issues, and for demonstrating support for Taiwan. She indicated that with the signing of the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, as well as an MOU on Taiwan-US international development cooperation, Taiwan and the US have reached a new milestone for economic and trade cooperation, and we will continue to strengthen each other’s economic resilience and enhance well-being for both our peoples. The president said she looks forward to Taiwan-US relations continuing to advance, yielding cooperation in even more areas.
A translation of President Tsai’s remarks follows:
Firstly, I welcome CSIS Senior Vice President for Asia and Korea Chair Victor Cha as he leads this bipartisan US delegation to Taiwan. I am delighted to be able to have an in-depth exchange of ideas with you all here at the Presidential Office. All of the distinguished guests present have long focused on Taiwan-related issues. Many of you have visited before. Former Congressman Peter Roskam and former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy were members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus during their terms in the US House of Representatives. They sponsored and cosponsored numerous Taiwan-friendly bills, demonstrating their support for Taiwan.
I want to thank you all for visiting and continuing to advance Taiwan-US exchanges. CSIS is one of the world’s preeminent think tanks. Its analysis of the international landscape is held in high esteem by the global community. I am confident that through your observations and understanding of Taiwan, even more people will come to better know this nation.
Facing changes to the international landscape in recent years, Taiwan has remained committed to the values of freedom and democracy. And we have expanded collaboration with democratic allies, jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability. I want to take this opportunity to thank the US administration and Congress for showing bipartisan support for Taiwan. The US continues its military sales to Taiwan based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, signed into law this year, will also inject fiscal resources into initiatives and measures supporting Taiwan, deepening the Taiwan-US partnership.
With the signing of the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, as well as an MOU on Taiwan-US international development cooperation, Taiwan and the US have reached a new milestone for economic and trade cooperation. And we will continue to strengthen each other’s economic resilience and enhance well-being for both our peoples.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. With the support of our distinguished guests, we look forward to Taiwan-US relations continuing to advance, yielding cooperation in even more areas.
Senior Vice President Cha then delivered remarks, first thanking President Tsai for hosting the delegation. He went on to say that on behalf of the delegation, he expresses condolences for the April 3 earthquake in eastern Taiwan and the many aftershocks, emphasizing that the government’s ability to minimize the number of casualties really is an amazing feat.
The senior vice president indicated that he and CSIS China Power Project Director and Asian Security Senior Fellow Bonny Lin had brought a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan this week representing the spectrum of Washington, DC, which speaks to the support that exists for Taiwan today in Washington, DC. He said that the delegation includes two former members of Congress, Ms. Murphy and Mr. Roskam, and senior officials from the past four US administrations: former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl from the Biden administration, former National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Allison Hooker from the Trump administration, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow and Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies Kori Schake from the George W. Bush administration, and CSIS Senior Adviser and Japan Chair Christopher Johnstone from both the Biden and Obama administrations.
Senior Vice President Cha then congratulated President Tsai on the eight years that she has worked to deepen the US-Taiwan relationship. Emphasizing that Taiwan is an extremely important partner for the US, he said Taiwan and the US share common values in democracy, as well as common interests in assuring peace in the Taiwan Strait, stopping economic coercion by other actors, combating disinformation, and supporting the rules-based international order.
Senior Vice President Cha concluded by saying he looks forward to discussing these interests with President Tsai, as well as others, such as building and deepening resilient supply chains, and promoting people-to-people and business-to-business exchanges.
