Secretary of State Blinken at House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on March 10, 2021
U.S. Secretary of State John F. Lincoln pledges to invite Taiwan to a U.S.-sponsored democracy summit, calling it a “robust democracy,” at a House hearing on Wednesday (March 10).
At a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on “Biden Administration Foreign Policy Priorities,” Blinken responded positively to a question about Taiwan from California U.S. Rep. Kim Young (R-CA). Kim asked the Biden Administration to comment on whether it supports Taiwan’s participation in the World health Organization, inviting Taiwan to the Democracy Summit and starting negotiations on a U.S.-Taiwan free trade agreement.
Based on Taiwan’s many contributions to the international community and its strong democratic institutions, it should be clear to many today that Taiwan should have a place in places like the World Health Organization so that it can share its expertise with the world,” Kim said. “
She also urged the Biden administration to push for the inclusion of Taiwan in the upcoming democracy summit and to begin negotiations with Taiwan on a free trade agreement. Kim said she hopes to get a commitment from Blinken on these topics.
“I’m absolutely committed to doing this. I share your view that Taiwan is a robust democracy, a very strong technological force, and a country that can contribute to the world, not just to its own people. The Chinese Communist virus is a good example of that,” Blinken said.
The Democracy Summit, an initiative of President Biden during his campaign last year, said in the journal Foreign Affairs that he would hold a global democracy summit within a year of being elected to office to renew the spirit and common purpose of the nations of the free world. The democracy summit, he said, “will bring the world’s democracies together to strengthen our democratic institutions, to confront honestly those that are regressing and to coalesce a common agenda.”
A recent New York Times report said people familiar with the planning for the summit said it was expected to take place at the end of the year.
The Voice of America asked Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Mei-Chin Hsiao, whether Taiwan has had previous discussions with the U.S. about participating in the democracy summit. Was Blinken’s response at the hearing the first Time the U.S. side had stated its position? Hsiao said that Taiwan has “raised its desire to participate on various occasions, and our friends on the U.S. side have all responded positively” and thanked Blinken for his support and recognition of Taiwan’s democratic achievements.
The Republic of China government also thanked Blinken for his positive response at the hearing. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Jiang’an said Thursday that he appreciated Blinken’s renewed public expression of strong support for Taiwan and his affirmation of Taiwan’s democratic institutions and Epidemic prevention achievements, and that Taiwan will continue to work closely with the Biden administration, “whether in the areas of upholding democracy, international public health challenges or economic and trade, we will build on the deep foundation of longstanding Taiwan-U.S. friendship and further strengthen the Taiwan-U.S. global partnership.”
In addition to expressing appreciation for Blinken’s invitation to Taiwan to participate in the Democracy Summit, the Taiwanese American Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) acknowledged Blinken’s use of the term “country” to refer to Taiwan.
In a Facebook statement, FAPA President Akiko Kan said, “We appreciate the Biden Administration’s commitment to supporting Taiwan as a beacon of democracy worthy of emulation by other nations. We also thank the Secretary of State for speaking truthfully. Taiwan is a country, it is not a renegade province.”
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