Stand for Taiwan and democracy

Re “Waffling on Taiwan is best for its people,” column, Aug. 16

I believe that the latest clash between superpowers is about democracy and culture.

We all have seen China’s aggressive response both to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s important visit to Taiwan and the more recent five-member U.S. congressional delegation. These visits are two of the many international delegations Taiwan has welcomed in the past decades.

So, why is China using these as a pretext to conduct live-fire military exercises in the Taiwan Strait?

The visits not only bolster bilateral ties between the U.S. and Taiwan, but also send a strong message that democracies sharing the values of freedom and respect for human rights and the rule of law stand together in the face of intimidation. A threat to Taiwan is a threat to democracy.

Taiwan calls on the international community not to despair in the face of China’s attempt to intimidate our 23 million freedomloving people. We must stand in solidarity to maintain peace and stability. Louis M. Huang

Los Angeles The writer is director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.