For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. – November 27, 2024
Contact: 202-600-6819
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FAPA CALLS ON PRESIDENT BIDEN AND SECRETARY BLINKEN TO MEET WITH TAIWAN’S PRESIDENT LAI
In a letter on November 22, U.S. Representatives Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Lance Gooden (R-TX) urged U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken not to impose any conditions on Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te should he make a stopover in U.S. territory during his upcoming trip to the South Pacific.
President Lai is scheduled to travel to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau between November 30 and December 6 — his first overseas visit since assuming office on May 20. Speculation suggests that Lai may transit through the U.S. as part of his travel, with likely stops in Hawaii or Guam.
The five U.S. representatives urged Secretary Blinken to “refrain from imposing arbitrary conditions” on President Lai should he transit through the U.S., such as restricting his interactions with journalists or limiting his ability to conduct public engagements. Furthermore, they called on President Joe Biden to consider meeting personally with Lai during his visit.
FAPA President Su-Mei Kao reacts: “We fully support the letter sent by the five Congressmen and strongly urge President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with Taiwan’s democratically elected President Lai Ching-te, whether in person or virtually. Doing so would align with the intent of the Taiwan Travel Act, enacted in 2018, which made it U.S. policy to encourage high-level exchanges with Taiwan.”
Dr. Kao emphasizes: “Amid China’s escalating provocations in the Taiwan Strait and continued efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally, failing to enhance U.S. engagement with Taiwan risks emboldening Chinese aggression and jeopardizing critical mutual interests between the U.S. and Taiwan.”
Dr. Kao concludes: “High-level meetings with President Lai would send a clear message that authoritarian China cannot dictate the terms of U.S. partnership and alliance with democratic Taiwan. Moreover, such actions would reaffirm the United States’ steadfast commitment to Taiwan’s democracy and foster further normalization of U.S. relations with this vital Indo-Pacific partner.”
*See HERE for the letter from five U.S. Congressmen to Secretary Blinken.
FAPA呼籲美國總統拜登及國務卿布林肯會見台灣總統賴清德
11月22日，美國聯邦眾議員帝芬尼（Tom Tiffany, R-WI）、奧格茲（Andy Ogles, R-TN）、史密斯（Chris Smith, R-NJ）、裴利（Scott Perry, R-PA）及古登（Lance Gooden, R-TX）聯名致函美國國務卿布林肯，呼籲避免在台灣總統賴清德出訪過境美國時施加限制，也盼美國總統拜登考慮在賴總統過境期間親自會面。
賴總統即將於11月30日至12月6日出訪馬紹爾群島、吐瓦魯、帛琉等南太平洋友邦。這將是他自5月20日就任以來的首度出訪。外界推測，賴總統可能會在途中過境美國，可能的過境地點包括夏威夷或關島。
這五位美國國會議員敦促國務卿布林肯（Antony Blinken）「不要對賴總統的過境施加任何恣意的限制」，例如試圖限制他與媒體記者的互動或進行公開活動。此外，他們也呼籲美國總統拜登（Joe Biden）考慮在賴總統過境期間親自與他會面。
台灣人公共事務會（FAPA）會長林素梅博士表示：「我們完全支持這五位美國國會議員的聯名信，並強烈呼籲拜登總統和布林肯國務卿與台灣民選總統賴清德進行會面，無論是面對面還是通過視訊方式。這樣的會晤將符合2018年通過並生效的《台灣旅行法》的立法精神，該法明確規範並鼓勵美國與台灣進行高層交流。」
林會長進一步強調：「在中國持續升高對台威脅並試圖壓縮台灣國際空間之際，若未能提升美國與台灣的交流層級，將可能助長中國的侵略野心與行為，並危及台灣與美國的關鍵共同利益。」
林會長總結道：「美國高層與賴總統的會晤將傳遞一個強烈且清晰的訊息，即威權中國無法左右並干涉美國與民主台灣的合作與同盟關係。此外，這樣的高層交流將重申美國對台灣民主的堅定支持，並促進美國與此一重要印太夥伴關係的進一步正常化。」
*五位美國國會議員致函國務卿布林肯的聯名信全文請見此。