New AIT Director Voices Support for Taiwan|總統見AIT新處長 酈英傑:堅定支持台灣

President Tsai Ing-wen recently received new American Institute in Taiwan Director William Brent Christensen. Apart from welcoming Christensen to Taiwan for his new post, Tsai talked about El Salvador ending diplomatic relations with Taiwan. She said there is no tactic as China won't stop to suppress Taiwan, but Taiwan will maintain its sovereignty and democracy. Christensen said the U.S. was extremely disappointed in El Salvador and is deeply worried about China's interference in the eastern hemisphere. Christensen said the U.S. would reassess U.S.-Salvadoran relations and continue to support Taiwan.


Three days after El Salvador cut diplomatic ties with the R.O.C., President Tsai Ing-wen received new American Institute in Taiwan Director William Brent Christensen. Tsai went on at length about the ways China is suppressing Taiwan, from other countries cutting ties with Taiwan to airlines being asked to remove the word "Taiwan" from their websites to the cancellation of the East Asian Youth Games. Tsai said all these actions affect Taiwan's international space and hurt regional peace, but Taiwan would continue to maintain its sovereignty and be a positive force for democracy in the region.

China's suppression of Taiwan is growing, and there is nothing it won't stoop to. Along with our neighbor nations, we have to jointly keep a close watch on all the ways China is suppressing Taiwan in the region. Changing the status quo hurts international regulations and interferes with the internal affairs of every nation.

Tsai then thanked the U.S. for being a "voice of justice" for Taiwan in the wake of El Salvador's decision. In response, Christensen said the U.S. was very disappointed by the decision and would reassess its relationship with El Salvador. He also said the U.S. would continue supporting Taiwan and oppose actions aimed at restricting Taiwan.

...ties between Taiwan and El Salvador. I want to stress the United States is deeply disappointed by this decision. China's unilateral efforts to alter the status quo are unhelpful and undermine the framework that has enabled peace, stability and development in the region for decades. The United States will continue to support Taiwan.

Christensen also said Taiwan is an important and reliable partner for the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region and the two sides share the same values and will continue working together. In related news, U.S. Senators Cory Gardner and Marco Rubio have proposed amending a draft bill to restrict funding to El Salvador.