Taiwan keeping close tabs on Trump-Xi meeting
ROC Central News Agency
2017/04/07 18:07:26
Taipei, April 7 (CNA) Taiwan's government is keeping close tabs on the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping (習近平) that is taking place at Trump's estate in Florida, the Presidential Office spokesman said Friday.
Alex Huang (黃重諺) said a national security team, which has been giving President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) regular briefings on the meeting, is closely following developments emerging from the encounter.
Without saying what Taiwan's expectations are for the meeting, Huang said the United States is the most important ally of Taiwan internationally.
"The U.S. government attaches great importance to peace and stability in East Asia, and this includes the continuation of good Taiwan-U.S. relations. A stable East Asia is crucial to U.S. interests," Huang said.
Taiwan, as a member of the international community, will continue to develop a solid cooperative relationship with the U.S. and contribute to peace and stability in the region, he said.
Meanwhile, President Tsai postponed her scheduled appearance at a memorial ceremony for a Taiwanese pro-democracy pioneer after the U.S. carried out a missile strike against a Syrian air base in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town.
Fifty-nine Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from two U.S. Navy ships in the Mediterranean.
Tsai stayed at the Presidential Office for a briefing from her national security team on the latest developments related to Syria.
Also on Friday, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) expressed the hope that the United States can maintain stable relations with China and that Taiwan can have the same stable relationship with the United States and China.
On the possibility of Taiwan participating in the World Health Assembly in Geneva next month, which Taiwan has yet to be invited to, Lin said Taiwan has the right to take part in all international organizations, especially the WHA, as health and combating disease are basic human rights and the obligation of world citizens.
Taiwan has participated in the WHA, the World Health Organization's (WHO) policy-making body, as an observer since 2009.
It received a late invitation to attend the WHA last year, shortly after the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang as the government of Taiwan.
That invitation, however, contained an unexpected reference to United Nations Resolution No. 2758, passed on October 25, 1971, which recognizes the People's Republic of China as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" and expelled the representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations, including the World Health Organization, but has pushed for meaningful participation in meetings held by those agencies.
There are concerns that Beijing might try to block the WHO's invitation to Taiwan to attend the WHA again this year because of the existing stalemate in Taiwan-China ties.
(By Hsieh Chia-chen, Ku Chuan and Lilian Wu)
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