Taiwan-US relations remain solid, Taiwan’s foreign minister said Tuesday, rejecting concerns that President Donald Trump could bargain away the island’s interests when he meets China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea this week.
Lin Chia lung told reporters in Taipei that there was no fear of abandonment. He said cooperation with Washington continued across security, trade and business despite Trump seeking a broader trade deal with Beijing.
The reassurance comes as Taipei watches Trump’s diplomacy closely. The US president has shifted his tone on Taiwan since taking office earlier this year, while publicly saying Xi promised not to invade during his term in the White House.
Taiwan has long relied on strong informal support from the United States. Officials worry that Trump’s talks with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit could tempt compromises.
Asked whether the island might be traded away, Lin replied that ties with the United States were very stable and consistent. The United States does not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country but is required by law to help it defend itself. That obligation continues to be a persistent point of tension with Beijing.
Taiwan rarely takes part in major global groupings due to pressure from China, which claims the island as its own territory. APEC is one of the few places where Taiwan can join regional conversations. To avoid diplomatic conflict, its president does not attend.
Before leaving for South Korea, APEC representative Lin Hsin I called the summit an opportunity for equal interactions among members in attendance. His remarks came as China repeated its offer of a one country two systems formula that both main political parties in Taiwan reject.
Beijing has increased flights of warplanes and ship patrols around Taiwan in recent years. Its official media said on Tuesday that reunification was a just cause that would only gain momentum. Xinhua urged both sides to discuss an arrangement that respects Taiwan’s way of life, which Taiwan’s government firmly rejects.
Officials in Taipei insist that only the island’s citizens can choose their future. They argue that Beijing has no authority to speak for them internationally.
Also on Tuesday, police in Chongqing announced an investigation into Taiwanese lawmaker Puma Shen from the governing Democratic Progressive Party. They accused him of separatist activity, even though China has no jurisdiction in Taiwan.
Shen said China had targeted him several times before but this move hinted at possible attempts to make arrests beyond its borders later. He called it intimidation and a warning to others in Taiwan who oppose Beijing’s goals.
Africa Digital News, New York
