Tsai Says Taiwan Will Help US Counter PLA Threats

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen told emissaries visiting at the request of US President Joe Biden on Thursday that the island would work with the United States to deter threats from Chinese military activities.

Former senior US officials, including ex-US Senator Chris Dodd and former deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg, are visiting Taipei in a trip to signal Biden's commitment to Taiwan and its democracy.

Tsai told the US delegation in a meeting at the Presidential Office that PLA military activities in the region have threatened regional peace and stability.

"We are very willing to work with like-minded countries, including the United States, to jointly safeguard the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific and deter adventurous manoeuvres and provocations," Tsai said.

She vowed to continue to cooperate with the United States to counter "cognitive warfare" and misinformation, but did not elaborate.

Dodd told Tsai the Biden administration would be Taiwan's "reliable, trusted friend," which will help the island expand its international space and support its investment in self defence.

He added the US partnership with Taiwan is "stronger than ever" and that the visit was to reaffirm Biden's commitment to the island.

Tsai also told the delegation that Taiwan looks forward to resuming trade talks with the United States as soon as possible. Taipei has long sought a free trade deal with Washington.

Dan Biers, director of the State Department's Office of Taiwan Coordination, is also part of the delegation.

Taiwan has complained over the last few months about almost daily missions by the PLA air force near its air defence identification zone (ADIZ). Twenty-five mainland aircraft, including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers, entered Taiwan's ADIZ on Monday in the largest reported incursion to date.

Beijing announced on Wednesday it would begin five days of live-fire drills off a part of the coast facing Taiwan, which Taiwan's Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters Taipei would pay close attention to.

"There's some psychological impact, but don't get too worked up about this. Everyone should have confidence in the armed forces," he said. (Reuters)