US backs Taiwan’s participation in PIF

COOPERATION: The US sees Taiwan ‘as a reliable, like-minded and democratic partner that contributes significantly to prosperity and economic development,’ an official said

• By Fang Wei-li and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Taiwan yesterday “welcomed and affirmed” Washington’s support for its participation in the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, saying that the nation stands ready to contribute to security and resilience in the region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) made the comments shortly after the US Department of State on Tuesday told a virtual news conference that the US is opposed to China’s use of diplomatic and military pressure to isolate Taiwan.

Writing in a news release, Lin said Taiwan looks forward to enhancing its cooperation with the US and other partners in Palau as part of a greater drive to help the development of the Pacific region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung speaks at a press conference on the sidelines of 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau, on Sept. 1.

Photo: AFP

Taipei is committed to showing its resolve in assisting its friends in the region to bolster their resilience, he said.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Matt Murray told the news conference that the US is creating secure and reliable undersea Internet cables in collaboration with like-minded partners in the Pacific.

The US is working closely with Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the private sector to implement this initiative, he said.

Asked about Washington’s views on China’s role in the region, Murray said that “the US certainly shares concerns with our Pacific Island partners related to China’s malign activities in the Pacific.”

These activities include illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, elite capture and corruption, economic coercion, environmental degradation, and provocations such as the launch of ballistic missiles by Chinese submarines, he said.

“We also obviously are concerned about China’s behavior towards Taiwan when it comes to the Pacific Islands Forum specifically, and we continue to oppose China’s efforts to pressure countries to sever or downgrade ties with Taiwan or Taiwan’s participation in the Pacific Islands Forum,” Murray said.

Asked about Washington’s stance on Taiwan’s place in the forum, Murray said that the US strongly supports the nation’s participation in the organization, as Taiwan has been a development partner of the group since 1992.

“We see Taiwan as a reliable, like-minded and democratic partner that contributes significantly to prosperity and economic development across the Pacific,” he said, adding that “we know that the Taiwan foreign minister had an active schedule while he was on the ground in Palau.”