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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Pompeo says ‘global coalition’ needed to curb Beijing
Then-US secretary of state Mike Pompeo speaks to reporters in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on April 8 last year. Photo: AFP
By Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNA
Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has called for the formation of a “global coalition” to check Chinese aggression, while urging Beijing to conduct itself “like a normal nation.”
Pompeo made the remarks in an interview with the Central News Agency on Tuesday, as he discussed how the global community should respond to China’s aggressive foreign policy and the lifting of restrictions on interactions between Taiwanese and US officials.
Asked how Taiwan and the US should strengthen their relationship, Pompeo declined to answer directly out of deference to US President Joe Biden’s administration, saying that he wanted to give the new administration a chance to conduct a review before sharing his opinion.
“Much depends on the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party,” Pompeo said, adding that taking a broader view of China, he would urge Beijing to act responsibly “like a normal nation” and step back from “predatory economic practices.”
“Much about this relationship will turn on the actual set of understandings and actions taken by [Chinese President] Xi Jinping （習近平） and his fellow politburo members,” he said.
“I have long come to understand that leaders matter an awful lot. Xi Jinping, when he came to power [and] in the years that followed, demonstrated a real risk to the US. I saw it as a member of [the US] Congress, and then up close and personal as the CIA director,” Pompeo said.
Speaking on China’s economic policies, Pompeo said that countries need to “stand up for their own economies” by developing trade relationships outside of those with China if they wish to protect their freedoms.
“We need to make sure that the world is aware of all that the Chinese Communist Party is doing. Second, we need to make sure that we build out a global coalition based on that set of understandings,” he said.
Coalition building would be a key test in the US’ support of democracies in the region, Pompeo said, adding that Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian nations would want to know that the US “will have their back.”
In terms of China, if the US combines a military buildup with effective economic and diplomatic policy, Pompeo said: “I am very confident that Western democracies, our way of life, will continue.”
As US secretary of state, Pompeo recommended lifting certain restrictions on interaction between Taiwanese and US officials.
Taiwanese officials had previously not been allowed to visit the US Department of State or to raise the Republic of China flag in Twin Oaks, Washington.
Pompeo called the restrictions “barnacles on top of barnacles.”
“We decided to take a full-on review — we did,” he said. “We concluded it makes sense for us to have more conversations, not fewer.”
Biden’s administration has kept the policy changes in place and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken deserves praise for condemning China’s genocide of Uighurs, Pompeo said.
Asked whether he would visit Taiwan if the opportunity presented itself, Pompeo said: “It would be a real treat.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked Pompeo for significant contributions to closer ties between the two countries.
Taiwan treasures Pompeo’s friendship and sincerely welcomes him to visit, although the ministry has yet to discuss specifics with him, spokeswoman Joanne Ou told a routine news briefing in Taipei.
“Inviting current and former US officials to visit Taiwan has always been an important part of the ministry’s work in the US,” Ou said.
“Taking into account the COVID-19 situation, the ministry will coordinate with the Central Epidemic Command Center to organize these visits that will deepen the substantial partnership between Taiwan and the US,” she added.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
