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TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's new Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung warned his country is in a "critical time" following the inauguration of its new President, Lai Ching-te last week that saw the Chinese Communist Party escalate its harassment of the island with multiple days of military exercises simulating a blockade of the Republic of China.
Foreign Minister Lin's remarks at the Taipei Guest House as driving rain lashed the capital city came during his first meeting with a delegation from the United States since assuming the post as Taiwan's top diplomat amid a seemingly deteriorating situation in the Taiwan Strait.
Led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lin called the bipartisan delegation's visit a "powerful gesture" showing "solidarity" as China ramps up its aggression aimed at Taiwan.
"We are eager to work with the U.S. Congress to continue to strengthen cooperation between Taiwan and the United States and to advance our rock-solid partnership," Lin declared.
While the CCP attempts to undermine President Lai and his government as "dangerous" separatists working for Taiwan's independence, Lin called the peaceful transfer of power "another milestone in Tawian's democracy" and praised McCaul's work to "advance the Taiwan-U.S. relationship and strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities" to "safeguard Taiwan's democracy and freedom."
In his remarks at the meeting with Minister Lin, McCaul noted Monday's Memorial Day holiday in the United States. Saying he couldn't help but think of his own father "who served in what we call the 'Greatest Generation' who fought at the ultimate time of peril in World War II when both Europe and the Pacific were under fire from dictators — aggressive ones — trying to take over the world."
"Fast-forward to today, and there are so many parallels between then and the events that we see today," McCaul emphasized. To address the unholy alliance developing between evil empires today — including China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea — McCaul said "deterrence is key," again emphasizing President Ronald Reagan's "peace through strength" policies. "We have to provide that deterrence here," McCaul said of Taiwan.
Before a delegation lunch at the Taipei Guest House with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, McCaul recognizes Memorial Day and emphasizes the importance of deterring violence with strength to preserve peace and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/nnU2W9WrFm
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) May 27, 2024
"You don't have peace and prosperity without strength and deterrence," warned McCaul. The absence of strength "invites aggression, conflict, and war. We've seen it in history over and over again."
To that end, McCaul said that the United States needs to "provide all defense articles as instructed in the Taiwan Relations Act" and continue supporting the Republic of China's deterrence with aid packages such as the recently passed emergency Indo-Pacific security supplemental bill appropriating $2 billion for Taiwan — an additional investment on top of a 2022 bill allocating $2 billion annually for Taiwan from 2023 to 2027. The end year for that bill was set to match the year by which Xi Jinping told his military to be prepared for an invasion of Taiwan.
In Xi Jinping's China, "there is no freedom, there is no democracy, and the people have no power whatsoever — they're subjugated to his authority," McCaul emphasized of the neighbor to Taiwan's north.
"Why is Taiwan important?," he McCaul queried rhetorically before answering. "It's the people, it's democracy, it's freedom, it's prosperity, it's what you bring in science and technology and innovation — it's because the people of Taiwan are just like the people of the United States."