Haley highlights 'moral clarity' in standing with Taiwan over China

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) Visiting former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley highlighted the "moral clarity" of showing solidarity with Taiwan over China during her meeting with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday.

Haley, who served as the U.S.' top envoy to the U.N. from January 2017 to December 2018 under former President Donald Trump, said there is a desperate need for "moral clarity" in the world.

"And when I look at what we need with moral clarity, there's nothing more stark than the differences between Taiwan and China," she said in her address while meeting Lai in the Presidential Office.

While Taiwan is made up of "a courageous group of people that understand the importance of freedom and understand the importance of democracy," China emphasizes "control and suppression," the ex-envoy said.

The differences between Taiwan and China were particularly apparent during COVID-19, Haley noted.

"That was in stark contrast to the lack of moral clarity by China, who hid the idea that the virus came from China, who didn't tell the rest of the world the warnings that were happening, and who allowed millions of people to die because of their arrogance," she said.

In contrast, despite being isolated from the world due to Chinese pressure, Taiwan tried to warn the World Health Organization (WHO) about the deadly virus, she said.

Haley said her ongoing visit to Taiwan is to let Taiwanese people know that "American people support Taiwan and the American people want Taiwan to be successful."

"We look forward to a partnership where we can rely on each other from a military standpoint, from a business standpoint, from an academic standpoint, and from the idea that we have to continue to spread the importance of democracy around the world," she said.

As the world witnesses the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas War, the senior Republican said, "We can't wait to see if China invades Taiwan, we need to get in front of the situation now."

For his part, President Lai welcomed Haley on her first-ever visit to Taiwan in his address and thanked her for supporting Taiwan during her tenure as U.S. envoy to the U.N.

Lai also thanked Haley for her Wednesday address at a Taipei forum in which she called on the U.N. to "stop ignoring" Taiwan and argued that Taiwan deserved to be a "full member" of the international organization.

"Taiwan will continue to increase its national defense capabilities and economic resilience and stand together with all the democracies to ensure deterrence," he added.

Haley mainly visited Taiwan to speak at Wednesday's Taipei-based Ketagalan Forum, a Taiwan government-funded annual international seminar with a focus on security issues in the Indo-Pacific.

The Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, left the WHO in 1972 following a decision by the U.N. to expel the ROC and recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the only "legitimate representative of China."