TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk said Tuesday (Nov. 29) the United States would continue to cooperate with anyone who wins elections in Taiwan, be it newcomers or re-elected incumbents.

She was referring to the Nov. 26 local elections, which saw gains for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which ended up with control over 13 cities and counties, with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) winning five cities and counties.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Oudkirk confirmed that U.S. support for Taiwan is “rock-solid,” Radio Taiwan International reported. She said the people of Taiwan had expressed their will through the elections, with local issues playing a more important role than relations with China.

The top U.S. representative in Taiwan described the elections as free and fair, adding the Taiwanese people should be proud of its rapid and thorough democratic transformation.

Oudkirk said the U.S. would continue to support Taiwan’s self-defense efforts, its global supply chain resilience, its quest to expand its international space, and the “already excellent” economic and people-to-people ties between the two.