President Han: “Today marks the 45th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, underscoring the enduring strength of Taiwan-US relations.”
On the afternoon of April 10, President Han met a seven-member parliamentary delegation from the Project 2049 Institute. In attendance were Vice President Johnny C. Chiang, KMT legislator Chen Yeong-kang, DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting, TPP Whip Huang Kuo-chang, International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin, and Secretary Lee Ji-dong from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.
President Han first extended his sincere welcome to the delegation. The bilateral meeting started after the group photo with Vice President Chiang, the attending legislators, and the delegation members. President Han highlighted the significance of the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, emphasizing the remarkable progress in Taiwan-US friendship in various areas over the past 45 years, which has solidified bilateral relations. Among the 113 members of the 11th Legislative Yuan, 55 are newly elected, and the presence of Vice President Chiang and caucus representatives from the three major parties underscores the high importance attached to the delegation's visit. President Han further remarked that Taiwan and the United States have different parliamentary systems; Taiwan operates under a unicameral system, where each member of parliament can freely form or join parliamentary friendship groups. The Legislative Yuan USA Caucus, for example, has up to 72 members, representing the long-standing bipartisan commitment of the Legislative Yuan to Taiwan-US relations. President Han emphasized the importance of the composition of such groups, likening this session's Legislative Yuan USA Caucus to the strongest ensemble cast in a movie.
Chairman Randall G. Schriver expressed his gratitude to President Han, Vice President Chiang, and caucus representatives from the three major parties for their time meeting with the delegation. He remarked that January 13, 2024, was an important day for Taiwan, where even before the election results were out, Taiwan had already stood as a beacon of democracy in the world. Post-election, with the parliament presenting a three-party non-majority political landscape, Taiwan once again demonstrated the operation of democracy. Chairman Schriver expressed his delight in witnessing representatives from different political parties convening in the Legislative Yuan, a scenario challenging to achieve in the United States. Despite this, there has always been a bipartisan consensus among US Republican and Democratic congressmen to safeguard Taiwan's freedom and democracy. This endeavor not only upholds the rights of the Taiwanese people but also consolidates the interests of the American people. The delegation pledged to continue supporting democratic Taiwan and collaborate with Taiwan to face future challenges. Vice President Chiang concurred by stating that this new session of the legislature poses new challenges for both Taiwan and the United States. However, he believes that legislators from different parties share the same goal of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The composition of the Legislative Yuan USA Caucus at this session illustrates that the Taiwan-US partnership has transcended party lines. Looking ahead, it is hoped that there will be more bilateral visits and profound exchanges between parliamentarians on both sides on issues of mutual concern such as national defense, stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region, social resilience, and energy security.
During bilateral exchanges, Legislator Chen Yeong-kang expressed gratitude for the long-standing support of the Project 2049 Institute for Taiwan and expressed hope for deeper exchanges and mutual learning with the United States in various fields. Legislator Chen Kuan-ting mentioned having read Elbridge A. Colby’s book, "The Strategy of Denial," published in 2021, and strongly agreed with its arguments. TPP Whip Huang Kuo-chang expressed gratitude for the friendly support of the delegation towards Taiwan. He mentioned the research report "Hostile Harbors: Taiwan’s Ports and PLA Invasion Plans" released by the institute in 2021, highlighting that the meticulous analysis in the report on the possibility and measures of PLA amphibious forces attacking Taiwan is of significant reference value to Taiwan's strategy development. Vice President Chiang further stated that the Taiwanese people are determined to defend their homeland's security. The Legislative Yuan, across party lines, will fully support this determination. However, further breakthroughs are still needed to expand Taiwan’s international space. If Taiwan participates in various international or regional security dialogues, it will amplify Taiwan's voice in the international community and further bolster the confidence of the Taiwanese people.
President Han, Vice President Chiang, and representatives from the three-party caucuses engaged extensively with the delegation members on issues such as stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, the US elections, democracy, freedom, political and economic development, military, national defense, social resilience, and how political parties can attract the support and identity of younger generations. The meeting lasted for approximately 50 minutes with a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. Both sides exchanged commemorative gifts, marking a successful conclusion to the meeting.
Note: Guest list
1.Hon. Randall G. Schriver, Chairman, Project 2049 Institute
2.Mr. John Gastright, Jr., President, Project 2049 Institute
3.Ms. Morgan Ortagus, Founder, POLARIS National Security
4.Mr. Elbridge Colby, Co-Founder, The Marathon Initiative
5.Mr. Daniel Fata, President, Fata Advisory, LLC
6.Mr. Brian Cavanaugh, Senior Vice President, American Global Strategies
7.Ms. Grace Price, Researcher, Project 2049 Institute
