Senior US diplomat arrives in Taiwan as officials downplay Trump’s comments

29 October 2024 - 13:05 By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Former US president Donald Trump recently said Taiwan "stole" America's chip business. File photo.
Former US president Donald Trump recently said Taiwan "stole" America's chip business. File photo.
Image: REUTERS/Marco Bello/ File photo

A senior US diplomat who helps manage ties with Taiwan has arrived in Taipei, the de facto US embassy said on Tuesday, as Taiwanese officials sought to downplay former US president Donald Trump's latest attacks of the island's crucial chip industry and defence needs.

The US is Chinese-claimed Taiwan's most important international supporter and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.

The American Institute in Taiwan, which manages the unofficial relationship, said its Washington office MD Ingrid Larson was visiting Taiwan for meetings from October 28 to November  1.

The trip is "part of the US' strong commitment to Taiwan and to advance a growing US-Taiwan partnership", it said.

"While in Taiwan, she will discuss continued US-Taiwan collaboration on issues of mutual interest such as regional security, mutually beneficial trade and investment and people-to-people, educational, and cultural ties."

Trump, the Republican candidate in the November 5 US presidential election, has unnerved democratically governed Taiwan by saying in July and again over the weekend that Taiwan should pay the US for its defence and that it had taken American semiconductor business.

"Taiwan, they stole our chip business. They want us to protect and they want protection. They don't pay us money for the protection," Trump told The Joe Rogan Experience podcast over the weekend.

American depositary receipts for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the world's largest contact chipmaker and major supplier to companies such as Nvidia, closed down 4.3% on Monday, while on Tuesday its Taipei-listed shares were down more than 2% after Trump's comments.

Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai, asked on Tuesday about Trump's latest comments, struck a diplomatic tone, saying Taiwan-US ties are based on being like-minded democratic allies.

"I also believe the major US political parties have an absolutely high degree of consensus on the understanding of the US-Taiwan relationship" he said.

Economy minister Kuo Jyh-huei told reporters he respected the remarks of "international friends".

"US relations with Taiwan have developed steadily over time, and both parties share the same attitude toward Taiwan," Kuo said.

Taiwan does not have a formal defence treaty with the US but it has billions of dollars of weapons on order and has repeatedly said it is committed to spending more on its military.

Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.

Taiwan received strong backing from Trump's 2017-2021 administration, including arms sales, which have continued under the government of  US President Joe Biden.

Trump spoke to then-Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 shortly after he won the election, prompting anger in Beijing, as the US does not officially recognise Taiwan's government, and glee in Taipei.

However, with China's stepped up military activities around Taiwan, including a round of war games earlier this month, Taipei is nervously watching what a new Trump administration would mean, specially given the tightness of opinion polls.

In the run up to the election over the past three months, two former senior Trump administration officials visited Taiwan, Kelly Craft and Nikki Haley, who served as his ambassadors to the US.

Craft told a security forum in Taipei last month: "Trump is going to expect some things from our friends and allies across the world, particularly friends like Taiwan who are under threat. He will expect you to carry your weight as a security partner."

Reuters


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.