Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Biden clarifies use of ‘independent’

Taipei Times

US President Joe Biden crosses the White House’s South Lawn before boarding Marine One in Washington on Tuesday.
Photo: Bloomberg

The US is not encouraging Taiwanese independence — it is up to Taiwan to decide, US President Joe Biden said late on Tuesday after generating confusion with a comment suggesting that Taiwan is “independent.”

Europe seems to have had enough

Manik Mehta

Resentment against China is growing not just in the US and Australia, but also increasingly in Europe, where leaders are showing signs of intense frustration over Beijing’s dictates on what is acceptable regarding its “one China” principle and, by default, on the Taiwan issue.

Europeans no longer hide their “had enough” feelings about Beijing’s attempts to influence their dealings with Taiwan.

Europe also feels emboldened by expressions of solidarity with Taiwan from US and Australian politicians, the latest statement being by Australian Minister of Defence Peter Dutton that it would be “inconceivable” for Australia not to join the US if Washington took action to defend Taiwan.

US visit to support defense, ties: Cornyn

Taipei Times

A US congressional delegation led by US Senator John Cornyn, 11th left, American Institute in Taiwan Director Sandra Oudkirk, 10th left, and other officials pose for a photograph during a visit to the Presidential Office on Sunday to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, center.
Photo: CNA

A US congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan last week was aimed at learning how Washington can help support Taipei’s defense capabilities and to discuss ways to boost bilateral trade ties, US Senator John Cornyn said on Sunday.

Cornyn, who led the all-Republican delegation, said in a news release that the group had returned to the US on Sunday after concluding an Indo-Pacific trip in the past few days that took it to Taiwan, the Philippines and India “to strengthen ties with critical allies and partners to counter Chinese aggression.”

US should pledge to defend Taiwan

Joseph Bosco

US President Joe Biden has just become the third president in 20 years to declare or strongly imply that the US would defend Taiwan against an attack from China. He also became the third president to stand corrected by the foreign policy establishment within and outside the government.

In April 2001, then-US president George W. Bush answered affirmatively when asked whether the US would protect Taiwan.

When pressed, he said the US would do “whatever it took.”

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