DPP chairman meets US
diplomat on think-tank trip
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Democratic Progressive Party
Chairperson Su Tseng-chang, right, shakes hands with members of a US delegation
in Taipei yesterday as former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton, second right,
looks on.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton
yesterday said that Taiwan has an expanded role to play in the international
community as well as in the USˇ¦ strategic pivot to Asia.
Taiwan getting full membership in the UN and having an expanded role in the
international community would be ˇ§in the USˇ¦ interests,ˇ¨ said Bolton, who is
leading a delegation of the American Enterprise Institute think tank on a visit
to Taiwan.
He made the comments during the delegationˇ¦s meeting with Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (Ĭs©÷) yesterday.
Bolton said he has always believed that Taiwan, as a fully functioning state,
with a large economy and an important role in regional democracy, should enjoy
full membership at the UN and its affiliated bodies, but China has blocked all
of Taiwanˇ¦s efforts to join any of these international agencies.
It would be up to Taiwanese themselves to decide which agency they want to join,
when and at which pace, he said, adding that ˇ§the US should prepare to supportˇ¨
Taiwanˇ¦s effort.
Bolton said that with more international clout, Taiwan would be able to play a
role in several unfolding issues that greatly concern the US, such as Chinaˇ¦s
assertion of its territorial claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea,
and displaying military force against claimants in the region ˇX which include
Taiwan.
ˇ§Taiwan has a role to play there,ˇ¨ he said without elaborating.
In other areas of US-Taiwan relations, he said, both sides should promote
broader economic cooperation.
Su said Boltonˇ¦s views on Taiwan and its international participation matched the
DPPˇ¦s long-standing positions.
The newly elected chairman raised the issues of the partyˇ¦s much-discussed China
policy, saying that the DPPˇ¦s unwavering position on Taiwanˇ¦s sovereignty is
correct, but it would have to change its ˇ§mentality and approachˇ¨ toward
engaging with Beijing.
The change would not be made purely for domestic considerations, Su said, adding
that the situation in the Asia-Pacific region as well as political and economic
developments in China should also be included in the DPPˇ¦s deliberations.
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