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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Tsai praises McCain, offers condolences
US Senator John McCain speaks after being awarded the 2017 Liberty Medal at the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 16 last year. Photo: Reuters
By Aaron Tu / Staff reporter, with CNA
President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） yesterday expressed her deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of US Senator John McCain, who died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 81.
“I’ll remember John McCain as a friend & a fighter. He never backed down from his beliefs & forever strived for a more peaceful & prosperous world. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, thank you,” Tsai said in a tweet.
McCain was highly regarded and admired by many people in US politics and he shared a deep bond with Taiwan, endorsing many bills in the US Congress as concrete actions to support Taiwan, as well as defending democracy around the world, Tsai said in a news release.
His death was “a great loss of an important friend of Taiwan” in the US, she said.
Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu （陳菊） on Aug. 16 visited McCain in a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where she delivered Tsai’s regards.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed profound regret and condolences, and hailed McCain’s tireless efforts to advance bilateral relations. It also said that it had instructed officials at a representative office in the US to offer condolences to McCain’s family.
McCain was highly respected for being a leader in safeguarding democracy and freedom and was “one of Taiwan’s staunchest friends,” the ministry said.
McCain had introduced a number of resolutions reaffirming the US’ security commitment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances,” as well as promoted legislation to strengthen security cooperation and exchanges between the US and Taiwan, including the national defense authorization acts, it said.
Soon after Tsai took office in June 2016, McCain led a delegation of seven senators to Taiwan, the foreign ministry said.
“This was a testimony of strong support for US-Taiwan relations and recognition of Taiwan’s democratic development achievements,” it said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
