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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》US wants ‘free and fair’ polls: Pentagon official
US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey speaks at a seminar on US-Japan defense cooperation in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: CNA
/ Staff writer, with CNA
Washington wishes to see “free and fair” elections in Taiwan, a senior US Department of Defense official said on Tuesday, as Taiwanese prepare to cast their ballots in presidential and legislative elections on Saturday.
US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey made the remark at a seminar in Washington when asked if the US and Japan are working to ensure that Taiwan would have fair elections, amid allegations that China has attempted to influence the outcome.
“We’ve been on record that certainly we want to see a free and fair election in Taiwan,” he said.
However, Helvey would not go into detail when asked whether Washington and Tokyo have prepared measures should China increase military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan if President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） wins re-election.
“It is clear that the US-Japan alliance has identified peace and security in the Taiwan Strait as one of our top strategic objectives,” Helvey said, without providing further detail about the two countries’ alliance. “This is not a new development. This assignment has been consistent for well over a decade.”
Taiwanese are “aware of the potential of that sort of influence,” another senior Pentagon official said when asked about possible Chinese influence in the elections.
The key to resolving the problem of external interference in other nations’ affairs, such as elections, is to make populations aware that such things can happen, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The US has not seen any “nefarious activity” in Taiwan’s election process, the official said, adding that the process has been stable.
Washington’s goal is to “encourage a functioning and proven democratic process in Taiwan,” the official added.
“The US takes no interest in who wins,” the official said. “The fact that the process stays sacrosanct is what’s important, as it is in our own election process.”
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
