EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW/AIT director Greene says Taiwan has entered a new 'golden age'

Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene described Taiwan as entering a new technological "golden age," in an interview with CNA Thursday reflecting on the challenges and opportunities faced by the island.

Greene replaced Sandra Oudkirk as head of the AIT, which functions as Washington's de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations, in July.

But he is no stranger to Taiwan, having served as deputy chief of the institute's political section from 2002 to 2005, and as AIT deputy director under Oudkirk's predecessor Brent Christensen from 2018 to 2021.

Over 20 years since his first posting in Taipei, Greene said he has seen "quite a bit of change related to both the opportunities and the risks."

"I see a lot of energy and excitement about going into another golden age in terms of the technology sector with the adoption of AI," Greene said in his first media interview since taking office as AIT director.

Greene, who departed his post as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Japan to return to Taiwan, said he has also seen a "greater realization of the risks and challenges Taiwan faces" at the governmental and grassroots levels.

He was referring to the Taiwan government's decision to extend compulsory military service to one year under former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) as well as the focus on whole-of-society resilience under her successor Lai Ching-te (賴清德), in the face of increased Chinese military coercion.

"Even at the grassroots, organizations like the Kuma Academy or organizations like [Forward Alliance], you see a greater realization that Taiwan needs to work hard to make sure that it can maintain its security in the future."

Trilateral cooperation

Reflecting on his experiences in Japan, Greene told CNA that he expects the close partnership between Washington, Tokyo, Taipei to continue in the years to come.

The three governments share common values, interests and people-to-people-ties, and they constantly lend a helping hand to each other when most needed, according to the envoy.

In March 2011, when Japan faced triple disasters during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the U.S. helped to set up its biggest disaster relief operation in history.

Taiwan, meanwhile, is the biggest contributor of financial support and donations to Japan during the major disaster, he said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Taiwan donated millions of face masks to American hospitals and first responders. In return, the U.S. and Japan donated vaccines to Taipei when the latter was unable to procure vaccines at the time, Greene said.

He noted that Japan was also the first country other than the U.S. to support Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations like the World Health Assembly.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and current U.S. President Joe Biden were also the first leaders from the two countries in over 50 years to issue a joint statement reaffirming the importance of security in the Taiwan Strait, he said.

Biden and Suga's words during the 2021 U.S.-Japan leaders summit in Toyko have since become "the common language that countries use around the world" when discussing Taiwan, he noted.

"Whether it's in semiconductor supply chain resilience, or whether it's on maintaining security in this part of the world, or whether it's in supporting Taiwan's meaningful contributions to the international community, I expect the U.S. and Japan to continue to play a very close partnership role," he concluded.

Get out and vote

Meanwhile, Greene called on Americans currently in Taiwan to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming U.S. election.

"There are more Americans in Taiwan than there were votes that decided the 2020 election. So really, Americans in Taiwan can make a difference," he noted.

He called on Americans in Taiwan to log onto the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website to get information about getting an absentee ballot in their state of residence.

"As long as voters in Taiwan deliver that [ballot] to AIT either in person or by mail before October 14th, we can make sure your ballot is counted," he added.