AIT head outlines top four priorities

THREE YEARS: Brent Christensen said that he would focus on security cooperation, economics, people-to-people contacts and Taiwan’s international participation

By Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter





American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday outlined his top priorities for his tenure as he pledged to build a bright future for Taiwan-US relations.

At his first news conference since taking up the position on Aug. 11, Christensen listed security cooperation, economic ties, Taiwan’s international participation and people-to-people contacts as the areas he would work to promote.

“As you have heard, the US recently approved the second arms sale to Taiwan in two years of US$330 million. Our obligation to support Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability against coercion is a foundational element of the Taiwan Relations Act,” Christensen said.

American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen yesterday speaks at a news conference in Taipei. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

The policy of supporting Taiwan’s defense needs has been consistent across seven US administrations, helping foster Taiwan’s prosperity and democratic development, while bolstering cross-strait and regional stability, he said.

He declined to comment on a recent CNN report claiming that the US Navy plans to conduct freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait next month.

The US’ Indo-Pacific strategy addresses the importance of US presence and free and open sea lanes across the region, was all that he would say.

Turning to economic and commercial ties, Christensen said Washington sees value in improving its robust economic relationship with Taipei, as their shared traditions of innovation and entrepreneurship have allowed both sides to prosper.

“This was underscored by [US] Secretary of State [Mike] Pompeo in his speech last July about our free and open Indo-Pacific Strategy, where he noted the important role that Taiwan can play in this strategy, including in the areas of the digital economy, energy and infrastructure,” Christensen said.

As the world faces a multitude of global challenges, such as global health pandemics, transnational crime and disinformation, the international community cannot afford to exclude a society with so much to offer like Taiwan, he said.

The US has been a long-time vocal supporter of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and has continued its informal consultations and engagement to allow Taiwan to have a more substantive role, he said, adding that US and Taiwanese officials discussed the issue last week in Washington.

Asked to comment on Taiwan’s thwarted attempt to join Interpol’s general assembly this month, Christensen said that the US supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in UN-affiliated organizations such as Interpol.

“We believe Taiwan is a very valuable member of the international community and has a very valuable role to play,” he said.

The US also supports Taiwan’s full participation at organizations that do not require state status, such as APEC and the WTO, he said.

Regarding the possibility of US Vice President Mike Pence and Taiwan’s envoy to APEC, Semiconductor Manufacturing Co founder Morris Chang (張忠謀), engaging in a dialogue at the APEC summit in Papua New Guinea in the middle of this month, Christensen said he did not have such information.

However, he said he anticipated that Chang — whom he described as an “inspiring choice” — would have interactions with other leaders at the event, as has always been the case with Taiwan’s APEC envoys.

Touching on promoting people-to-people ties, Christensen said more than 1 million people traveled between US and Taiwan last year, and he said he hoped that more US states would open representative offices in Taiwan to promote business and tourism.

Christensen also fielded the recurring question of when the AIT would move into its new facility in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), which was dedicated in a June ceremony hosted by his predecessor Kin Moy.

“We are still waiting on some final certifications, but we expect to begin our move before the end of the year,” Christensen said.