U.S. concern about Chinese threat is bipartisan: Bolton
ROC Central News Agency
05/01/2023 06:27 PM
Taipei, May 1 (CNA) Despite the partisanship in U.S. politics, concern about the "global threat" posed by China is shared by both major parties, visiting former U.S. national security advisor John Bolton told Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Monday.
During a public portion of their meeting at the Presidential Office Building, Bolton said he was eager to hear Lai's views on China and what the United States and Taiwan can do to engage more closely on strategic issues.
In addition to increasing bilateral cooperation, Bolton said, he was interested in finding ways "to enmesh Taiwan in collective self-defense mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific."
"I know there are obstacles to that, but I think there are a lot of opportunities," he added, without elaborating.
Bolton went on to say that despite the "high level of partisanship" in U.S. politics, "concern about the global threat of China" has been growing and is shared by both major parties.
From Taiwan's perspective, this creates a "rich opportunity" to get closer to the United States, he said.
Lai, who is also the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) 2024 presidential nominee, thanked Bolton during the meeting for his long-term support for Taiwan, including in areas such as arms sales and Taiwan's international participation.
He pledged that under President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) leadership, Taiwan would continue to "resolutely stand together with other democratic nations to jointly protect regional peace and security."
Aside from cooperation on deterring China, Lai said he also hoped the U.S. would continue to support Taiwan's bid for membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and sign a U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement.
Bolton also met on Monday with Tsai, as well as Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄), at the president's official residence.
In a press release, the Presidential Office said Tsai told Bolton that Taiwan stands on the frontlines of defending democracy, and is determined and well-prepared to protect itself.
Taiwan is also "willing to deepen cooperation with the U.S. and all other like-minded partners to jointly uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as well as the values of freedom and democracy," Tsai said, according to the statement.
Bolton, 74, served as U.S. national security advisor under President Donald Trump from April 2018 to September 2019 and as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006.
A foreign policy hawk and strong backer of U.S. military intervention around the globe, Bolton has long advocated for a hard line on China and U.S. recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
He is visiting Taiwan from April 26 through May 2 to deliver speeches to two pro-Taiwan independence NGOs.
(By Matt Yu, Yeh Su-ping and Matthew Mazzetta)
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