Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who left office on Jan. 20, accepted an invitation Wednesday (March 31) from Taiwan‘s representative to the United States, Mei-Chin Hsiao, to meet at Twin Oaks, once the official residence of Taiwan’s ambassador to the United States, to exchange views on how to further strengthen the friendship between the United States and Taiwan.
Pompeo, who lifted restrictions on official U.S.-Taiwan contacts before leaving office, tweeted a photo of him and Hsiao on Thursday. The tweet said, “It was a pleasure to meet Taiwan Representative Hsiao yesterday. When I was Secretary of State, I was committed to supporting democracy in the face of strong pressure from fellow Taiwanese. The United States and Taiwan share core values of freedom, democracy and free market economics.”
In a retweet of Pompeo’s tweet, Hsiao said, “I was honored to meet with Secretary Pompeo. Taiwan is very grateful for his friendship and support. We look forward to ongoing discussions on the longstanding friendship and partnership between Taiwan and the United States.”
Prior to Pompeo, Hsiao also hosted Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, at a dinner at Twin Oaks in mid-March. In a tweet, Haley posted a photo with Hsiao and said, “Taiwan shares the same values of freedom and democracy as the United States. Like the United States, Taiwan’s citizens can speak and live freely. I was honored to meet with Michelle Hsiao to talk about our friendship with the people of Taiwan and ways to deepen that friendship.”
Regarding her meeting with Pompeo, Hsiao told Chinese media here Thursday that the two had treated Pompeo to “pineapple cakes, pineapple cakes and pearl milk tea” during their meeting, and that she invited him to visit Taiwan after the Epidemic subsides.
“I expressed to him that there are many friends in Taiwan who are looking forward to his visit, and I hope to arrange it when the epidemic improves and border control measures are loosened.
Hsiao said she also expressed her appreciation to Pompeo for U.S. support of U.S.-Taiwan relations regardless of party affiliation.
“I express my appreciation for the non-partisan support for U.S.-Taiwan relations in the United States, across the Trump and Biden administrations, based on the shared values of democracy and freedom and the common interest of prosperity and stability. In particular, we thank him for his support and friendship with Taiwan during his tenure and welcome the continuation of positive interactions.”
As to the fact that many people in Taiwan are looking forward to Pompeo’s visit to Taiwan, Xiao Meiqin said that when the epidemic improves and Taiwan’s border controls are relaxed, the two sides “will be willing to discuss further at the appropriate Time.” As to whether Pompeo is the first U.S. Secretary of State to Twin Oaks after leaving office, Xiao Meiqin said to make further checks.
Twin Oaks Estate in Northwest Washington has a highly political connotation in U.S.-Taiwan relations, and was the official residence of Taiwan’s ambassador to the U.S. when the U.S. still had diplomatic relations with the former Republic of China. social events held at Twin Oaks.
In response to the recent frequent exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan, will there be more “eggs” in U.S.-Taiwan relations going into April? “Easter is the season of eggs,” Xiao Meiqin said.
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