Taiwan premier defiant on eve of US trip
Vowing that “no one can obliterate Taiwan’s existence”, the country’s president, Tsai Ingwen, left on Sunday for the US and two of its remaining diplomatic allies, amid pressure from China to try to stamp out references to the island globally.
China, which claims selfruled and democratic Taiwan as its own, has stepped up a campaign against the island as it tries to assert Chinese sovereignty. Beijing has ordered foreign companies to label Taiwan as part of China and is excluding Taiwan from as many international forums as it can.
China has also been whittling down the number of countries that recognise Taiwan — now 18 — with Burkina Faso and the Dominican Republic switching relations to Beijing in 2018.
Speaking before her flight to Los Angeles, where she will spend one night prior to visiting Belize and Paraguay, Tsai struck a defiant tone.
“In going abroad, the whole world can see Taiwan; they can see our country as well as our support for democracy and freedom. We only need to be firm so that no one can obliterate Taiwan’s existence.”
China, which believes Tsai wants to push for Taiwan’s formal independence, has already complained to Washington about her US stopovers.
The trip starts one day after Taiwan’s state-run refiner CPC announced a deal valued at $25bn to purchase liquefied natural gas from the US over the next 25 years. The deal was aimed at boosting trade relations with the US by reducing its trade surplus and was also a sign of goodwill ahead of Tsai’s visit, a person familiar with the government’s thinking said.
Tsai, who says she wants to maintain the status quo with China, will also be looking to reaffirm Washington-Taipei ties and to shore up support ahead of local elections in Taiwan in November amid the escalating pressure from China.
During her US stops, Tsai intends to meet Ed Royce, chairman of the US House of Representatives foreign affairs committee. She is expected to meet business representatives to discuss how Taiwan could drum up investment and procurement with the US.
Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is the island’s strongest ally and sole foreign arms supplier.
Tsai’s US stopovers come as China and the US are engaged in a trade war, adding to Beijing’s irritation with Washington.