《TAIPEI TIMES》 Premier thanks US for defense support

FOX NEWS INTERVIEW: The US defense secretary said the Trump administration was not the first to sell F-16s to Taiwan, adding that he expected US arms sales to continue

By Chen Yu-fu, Lu Yi-hsuan and Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporters, with staff writer and CNA

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Premier Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） yesterday thanked the US for boosting Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities after US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told Fox News last week that he expected arms sales to Taiwan to continue.

The purchase of F-16V jets is a “huge breakthrough” and crucial to Taiwan’s self-defense, Su said.

“Everyone knows that only by showing our strong determination to defend ourselves can sovereignty and security be maintained,” he said, adding that the deal has received support from Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu （韓國瑜）, the Chinese Nationalist Party’s （KMT） presidential candidate, as well as the legislative caucuses of the Democratic Progressive Party and opposition parties.

According to a transcript by the Chicago-based RealClearPolitics of Wednesday’s interview, Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin asked Esper: “The F-16 sales to Taiwan have angered China. Isn’t that provocative on the US’ part and will there be more arms sales to Taiwan?”

US President Donald Trump’s administration is “not the first” to sell arms to Taiwan and “certainly not the first to sell F-16 either, so I expect they will continue,” Esper said.

“But it’s coming at a sensitive time and trade talks,” Giffin said, to which Esper replied: “I mean it always seems to come at a sensitive time for China.”

Asked if China is “still stealing US technology,” Esper said China has been “stealing intellectual property for many years now” and that it has not been able to be stopped because it is a “state-run organized effort.”

In other developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the US Democratic National Committee’s （DNC） decision last week to pass a resolution in support of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

During its meeting in San Francisco from Thursday to Saturday, the DNC passed the resolution in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act （TRA）.

The move symbolized the party’s staunch support for relations between Taiwan and the US, the ministry said in a statement.

The DNC recognized the TRA as the cornerstone of US-Taiwan ties, and highlighted Taiwan’s free and open society and democratic system, the ministry said.

The resolution pledged support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international organizations, the ministry said.

The DNC also recognizes Taiwan’s importance to Washington in Asia, deems Taiwan a constructive and reliable partner, and supports deepening relations between Taiwan and the US through a bilateral trade agreement and other means, it said.

The US Republican National Committee on Aug. 2 adopted a resolution in support of Taiwan during its meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The ministry said it would continue to work closely with the two US parties to deepen the friendly relations and partnership between the two nations.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES