Taiwan Leader Tsai Hosted Jointly by Hudson Institute and Center for American Progress

Aug. 13, 2020 (EIRNS)—Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was the guest of a forum on Aug. 12 jointly sponsored by the Republican Hudson Institute and the Democratic Center for American Progress, no doubt to show the “bipartisan” support for the Taiwanese leader. This was one day following the visit to Taiwan of Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, the first major breach of the agreement signed between the U.S. and China with regard to “no official relations” with Taiwan.

Tsai said that Taiwan and Hong Kong were the only Chinese entities that appreciated democracy and she praised the international community for condemning the new National Security Law in Hong Kong. She stated that Taiwan had set up an office to help those from Hong Kong who flee the island after the legislation. “Taiwan is on the front lines of democracy,” Tsai said, calling Taiwan “the antithesis to the P.R.C.” While she conceded that Taiwan would always “acknowledge the ties between the straits,” Taiwan would also “take stock” of the relationship. She also said that Taiwan would “back up words with action,” pointing to the increase in the defense budget. Taiwan would develop an “asymmetric capability” that would be more capable, Tsai commented.

She referred to U.S.-Taiwan relations as “never closer,” underlining that they would build an even closer relationship. She mentioned the major investment of Google and Microsoft in Taiwan and the establishment of a major Taiwan semiconductor firm in Arizona. Cyber-security would also be a major part of defense collaboration with the U.S., calling Taiwan a member of “the community of like-minded democracies,” reflecting the new Cold War gambit of Mike Pompeo.

Also speaking at the forum was Tsai’s new representative in Washington, Xiao Bi-Khim, a former lawmaker with the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Commenting on the new defense strategy, Xiao said that Taiwan was “working on hardware capability with the U.S. with regard to coastal defense and sea mines.” She also said that Taiwan was also beefing up their defense against P.R.C. “influence operations within Taiwan’s social organizations.”