Lai praises bipartisan U.S. support for Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act

Taipei, Dec. 5 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Friday thanked the U.S. Congress for showing bipartisan support for Taiwan, as evidenced by the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act signed by U.S. President Donald Trump into law earlier this week.

Lai made the remarks while receiving a delegation led by Susan M. Elliott, president of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP).

The measure aims to ease limits on bilateral engagement and support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, but the U.S. government has not said whether it would relax any of its self-imposed restrictions in its interactions with Taiwan.

Lai also thanked the U.S. government for upholding its commitments to Taiwan by adhering to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.

He said Taiwan is a member of global governance, a mature democracy and a responsible security partner, but China has been targeting it with military intimidation, gray-zone and economic coercion, and diplomatic bullying.

Referencing a US$40 billion special defense budget he recently proposed, Lai said Taiwan is committed to strengthening its self-defense capabilities -- through weapon systems produced locally and acquired from the U.S. -- and developing whole-of-society resilience.

Taiwan will continue to engage in cooperation with the U.S. and other like-minded countries to defend its liberal and democratic values and way of life, he said.

Elliott noted that the NCAFP has visited Taiwan many times over the past 20 years as part of its annual Asia trip.

She said the delegation looked forward to exchanging views with Lai on issues of shared concern, including regional security and prosperity and Taiwan-U.S. relations.

The delegation also included NCAFP Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security Susan A. Thornton, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center Karl Eikenberry, and president of the Pacific Century Institute Raymond F. Burghardt.