President Tsai Ing-wen received a delegation of academics from think tanks based in Washington, D.C., at the Presidential Office March 11 in Taipei City, pledging to expand cooperation with the global democratic community to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy.
According to the PO, the group was led by Bonnie Glaser, managing director of German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific Program, and comprised Rick Waters, managing director of Eurasia Group’s China practice; Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The president welcomed the delegates, saying she was pleased to meet with them to exchange views on Taiwan-U.S. relations as the two sides prepare to mark the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, a cornerstone for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, next month.
According to the president, the U.S. is an important partner for Taiwan in matters of security, economy and trade. Examples of the robust partnership include the first agreement concluded last year under the Taiwan-U.S. Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, she said, adding that Taiwan looks forward to addressing double taxation and advancing cooperation in digital economy, emerging technologies and telecommunications security, among other issues.
Tsai also took the opportunity to thank the visitors for their long-standing interest in cross-strait affairs and support for Taiwan. Their research reports have given the global community a better understanding of Taiwan and the critical role it plays in the region, she said.
In response, Glaser praised Tsai’s steadfast leadership over the past eight years and described her as an outstanding partner of the U.S. and many other countries. The president has preserved peace in the strait and protected Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, Glaser said, adding that she is confident the Taiwan-U.S. relationship will remain rock solid going forward. (SFC-E)
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