Taipei: Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung announced that the United States has assured Taiwan that its interests will remain protected during the upcoming talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Lin conveyed this assurance during a legislative session, emphasizing the U.S.’s steadfast support for Taiwan.
According to Focus Taiwan, the foreign minister did not specify which U.S. officials provided these assurances, nor did he reveal additional details when queried about potential concerns regarding Taiwan being leveraged as a bargaining chip in the forthcoming discussions between the two superpowers. Lin highlighted the significance of the Taiwan Relations Act, which ensures the provision of defense articles and services to aid Taiwan in maintaining its self-defense capabilities.
The Taiwanese government is vigilantly observing the developments leading up to the meeting between Trump and Xi, set to occur during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea next week. Last Sunday, Trump identified topics such as rare earths, fentanyl, soybeans, and Taiwan as key discussion points for his meeting with Xi. When questioned about the possibility of altering the U.S. stance on Taiwan independence to secure a trade agreement with China, Trump mentioned that Taiwan would likely be a topic of discussion but refrained from elaborating further.
A Taiwanese delegation, led by Presidential Adviser Lin Hsin-i, will participate in the APEC summit to showcase Taiwan’s expertise in artificial intelligence, aligning with one of the summit’s themes. The delegation is also scheduled to address Taiwan’s low birthrate issue. The government is organizing numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings with APEC member state representatives to discuss issues of mutual interest, Lin stated.
On the sidelines of the APEC summit, the Taiwan delegation is expected to engage in informal interactions with U.S. representatives, including those overseeing bilateral tariff negotiations, Lin added.
