President Tsai Ing-wen said April 5 that Taiwan is committed to being a force for good in the world as it strengthens its partnership with the U.S.
Tsai made the remarks after the historic meeting with Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. She and McCarthy were joined by 18 other members of Congress, whose bipartisan presence Tsai acknowledged as a reassurance that the people of Taiwan are neither isolated nor alone.
The president also expressed appreciation to late U.S. President Reagan, whose Six Assurances in 1982 built upon the landmark Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to lay the foundation for a rock-solid Taiwan-U.S. relationship that has stood for over four decades.
According to Tsai, peace and democracy are facing unprecedented threats. The importance of keeping the beacon of freedom shining in such conditions cannot be understated, she added.
Tsai reiterated Taiwan’s determination to maintain a peaceful status quo and ensure a free and open society for its people. She additionally stressed the importance of unity among democracies, citing Reagan’s belief that building strength preserves peace.
The president also took the opportunity to thank U.S. lawmakers for proposing initiatives that increase Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, boost robust bilateral economic bonds and support the country’s meaningful participation in the international community. Such moves help promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, she added. (YCH-E)
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(ref. Taiwan Today https://www.taiwantoday.tw)