TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former United States Vice President Mike Pence met with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) Friday and reiterated the US would not abandon its Indo-Pacific allies.
Lai thanked Pence for his role in promoting arms sales to Taiwan and for his numerous public pronouncements in support of the country against diplomatic isolation by China, the Presidential Office said in a statement. He noted this was Pence’s first visit to Taiwan.
The former vice president said the relationship between the two countries was based on shared values, overcoming geographical distance and cultural differences. The US was also a Pacific country, and just like Taiwan it wanted to preserve the region’s prosperity, Pence said.
Earlier Friday, he called on the new Trump administration taking office Monday to support Taiwan and provide it with the means to defend itself, per CNA. The two countries should also discuss a free trade pact, he added.
Pence emphasized that while US attitudes toward China had changed in recent years, one thing that had not changed was the US people’s strong support for Taiwan.
