Former Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, Ambassador James Moriarty, paid a visit to President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lai Ching-te today. President Lai expressed his commitment to continue strengthening national defense capabilities to demonstrate Taiwan’s determination in defending itself and safeguarding democratic freedoms to the world.
President Lai Ching-te met with Ambassador James Moriarty in the afternoon of today, June 14th. In his speech, President Lai warmly welcomed Moriarty’s visit to Taiwan. He mentioned their past interactions during his time as the Mayor of Tainan, Premier, and Vice President, and expressed his pleasure in meeting an old friend again to discuss Taiwan-US issues and seek Moriarty’s insights.
President Lai emphasized Moriarty’s role as a long-standing and close friend of Taiwan. During Moriarty’s term as Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, he significantly expanded cooperation between Taiwan and the US in various sectors, laying a strong foundation for bilateral relations. Even after stepping down, Moriarty continued to show concern for Taiwan, providing professional advice to various sectors in the US, actively promoting Taiwan-US military security cooperation, and making significant contributions to strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership.
President Lai mentioned that in recent years, facing authoritarian expansion, he expressed gratitude to the US government and Congress for upholding commitments such as the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, supporting continued deepening cooperation between the US and Taiwan to uphold regional peace and stability and defend democratic values. He firmly believes that only by enhancing strength can peace be achieved. “In the future, we will continue to strengthen our national defense capabilities to show the world Taiwan’s determination in self-defense and safeguarding democratic freedoms.”
He stated that in the face of global issues such as pandemics and extreme weather, as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will actively cooperate with the US and like-minded countries to overcome various challenges.
Lastly, President Lai expressed gratitude to Ambassador Moriarty for his visit and support for Taiwan. He looks forward to further deepening and strengthening Taiwan-US relations and jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait through mutual efforts.
Ambassador Moriarty, in his speech, expressed deep emotions and commitment to Taiwan and its people, which also reflect the sentiments and thoughts of the American people. He emphasized that the Taiwan-US relationship is based not only on common interests but more importantly on shared values.
Moriarty pointed out that peace and stability are paramount to the interests of both Taiwan and the US. “We must have the ability to ensure that our economies and societies are not interfered with by external forces. Both societies also firmly believe in individual values and the country’s responsibility to each individual, so I deeply admire President Lai’s path to participating in elections, winning the trust of the people, and eventually becoming the national leader.”
He believes that Taiwan and the US face many challenges internally and externally, but he is confident that as long as they work together, the global democratic camp will continue to thrive and move towards a brighter future. Finally, he thanked President Lai for taking the time to meet, as well as all Taiwanese friends for their friendship towards the US and support for democratic systems and values.