TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Raymond Greene has reaffirmed the US is committed to Taiwan's security. 

In a Commonwealth magazine article published Friday, Greene discussed Taiwan-US relations under the Trump administration. Throughout the interview, the AIT director insisted the US is committed to preserving the status quo and providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack. 

In the 40-minute discussion, the interviewer spoke primarily about matters related to Taiwan’s security with a couple of questions about trade and tariffs. Despite some differences in approach, Greene said the Trump administration’s position is consistent with the previous 45 years of Washington's policy toward Taiwan. 

The interviewer asked if a recent statement from the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, about the US maintaining an “explicit commitment to Taiwan’s defense" signaled a shift in US priorities toward Taiwan. Greene replied the US position has not changed. 

Washington remains focused on building a strong “network of deterrence” with allies in the Indo-Pacific region and providing Taiwan with adequate asymmetric defense capabilities. “Everything we are doing in the US-Taiwan relationship is making both the United States and Taiwan safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” Greene said.

The AIT director added the US was pleased with the Lai administration's pledge to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP. Beyond working with the US defense industry, Washington hopes to see Taiwan expand its domestic defense industries and production capability.

On this front, Greene said the US wants to collaborate with Taiwan on a “Whole of Society” approach to defense and supply chain resilience championed by the Lai government. Greene said there is ample room for expanding collaboration on developing technologies for both defense and commercial industries.  

When asked about the possibility that Trump might implement more tariffs targeting Taiwan, Greene stressed that Trump’s tariffs are meant to ensure a trade balance between economies. Rather than worry about being a target for tariffs, Taiwan should focus on building a trade relationship that “benefits the people on both sides in an equal way,” Greene said.