Peace in Taiwan Strait in global interest, says ex-US official

ISTANBUL

Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is “not just a US interest, but also a global one,” the US delegation to self-ruled Taiwan said on Wednesday.

“That is why the US will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo and will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan,” said Mike Mullen, former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He made these comments during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei.

The US delegation arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for talks amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The visit by former US security officials, led by Mullen, came on the sixth day of the Russia-Ukraine war, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital Kyiv.

“This delegation reflects the bipartisan nature of support for the United States’ strong partnership with Taiwan,” Mullen said, according to a statement by the American Institute in Taiwan.

The institute acts as Washington's official diplomatic enclave in Taipei.

“We can reassure you and your people, as well as our allies and partners in the region that the United States stands firm behind its commitments,” he added.

Taiwan has condemned the Russian war on Ukraine and joined its Western allies to impose sanctions on Moscow to deter it from its military attacks in the eastern European nation.

The war has been met with outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, US, and Japan implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.

At least 677,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

As the world focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war, observers are also closely watching China's moves regarding Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province.

Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949 and maintains diplomatic relations with at least 14 countries.

The US delegation said the Taiwanese president showed “strong leadership, not only here in Taiwan but in this increasingly critical region of the world, where continued peace and stability has never been more important.”

The US formally recognized China in 1979 and shifted diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing, including Taiwan as part of mainland China.

The Taiwan Relations Act, a 1979 law, has guided US relations with Taiwan. Ties have also been informed by what is known as the Three Communiques, which are bilateral agreements with China.

“April will mark the 43rd anniversary of the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act, which President (Joe) Biden voted for early in his Senate tenure. Forty-three years later, cooperation between the US and Taiwan is stronger, deeper, and more expansive than ever before,” Mullen said.