Pelosi: US wants Taiwan to have freedom with security and won't back down
The United States wants Taiwan to always have freedom with security and will not back away from that, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday (Aug 3), during a visit to Taipei fiercely criticised by China.
While respecting the "One China" policy, our solidarity with Taiwan is more important than ever, Pelosi said, during a joint news conference with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The US supports the status quo and does not want anything to happen to Taiwan by force, Pelosi added.
Asked about the economic consequences Taiwan has to face as a result of her visit, Pelosi said the US' Chips Act opens the door for better economic exchanges between the United States and Taiwan.
Taiwan is committed to maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan strait, Tsai said, adding that China's military exercises, launched in response to Pelosi's visit are an unnecessary reaction.
Earlier, Tsai thanked visiting US House speaker Nancy Pelosi for her concrete actions to support Taiwan at this critical moment and said the island will not back down in the face of heightened military threats.
The pair met in Taipei on Wednesday as part of Pelosi's visit to the island which has drawn fierce criticism from China, and has prompted Beijing to announce a raft of military exercises and summon the US ambassador.
Tsai also told Pelosi on Wednesday that she is one of Taiwan's most devoted friends and thanked her for her unwavering support on the international stage.
Tsai added that Taiwan is a reliable partner of the United States and will continue to work with the US to strengthen collaboration in security, economic development and supply chains.
Pelosi said that her visit to the island makes it unequivocally clear that the United States will not abandon Taiwan.
Now more than ever, America's solidarity with Taiwan is crucial, she told Tsai, adding that America's determination to preserve democracy in Taiwan and the rest of the world remains iron-clad.
Pelosi said that her delegation had come to Taiwan in "peace for the region".
"We come in friendship to Taiwan, we come in peace to the region," she said during a meeting with Tsai Chi-chang, the deputy speaker of Taiwan's parliament.
Pelosi also said she wants to increase parliamentary exchanges with Taiwan.
Earlier, Pelosi also told the Taiwanese parliament on Wednesday that the US Chips Bill would offer a good opportunity for US-Taiwan cooperation in the chip industry.
Asked about the economic consequences Taiwan has to face as a result of her visit, Pelosi said the new Bill opens the door for better economic exchanges.
She will meet with Mark Liu, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Pelosi and Liu will discuss implementation of the recently passed Chips and Science Act, which provides US$52 billion (S$72 billion) of US federal subsidies for domestic chip factories.
Pelosi thanked Taiwanese President Tsai for her leadership, and called for increased inter-parliamentary cooperation.
"We commend Taiwan for being one of the freest societies in the world," Pelosi told Taiwan's parliament.
The United States wants Taiwan to always have freedom with security and will not back away from that, she said.
While respecting the "One China" policy, our solidarity with Taiwan is more important than ever, Pelosi said, during a joint news conference with Tsai. The US supports the status quo and does not want anything to happen to Taiwan by force, Pelosi added.
Taiwan is committed to maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan strait, Tsai said, adding that China's military exercises, launched in response to Pelosi's visit are an unnecessary reaction.
While Pelosi is not the first House Speaker to go to Taiwan - Newt Gingrich visited in 1997 – her visit comes as relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated sharply, and with China a much more powerful economic, military and geopolitical force than it was a quarter century ago.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced using force to bring it under its control. The United States has warned China against using the visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.
Early on Wednesday, China's custodepartment announced a suspension of imports of citrus fruits, chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel from Taiwan, while its commerce ministry suspended the export of natural sand to Taiwan.
A long-time China critic, especially on human rights, Pelosi was set to meet later on Wednesday with a former Tiananmen activist, a Hong Kong bookseller who had been detained by China and a Taiwanese activist recently released by China, people familiar with the matter said.
Copyright: The Straits Times/ Asia News Network
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