On April 17th, Lee Guangzhang, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, was invited by the Yale Alexander Hamilton Society and the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University to give a keynote speech on the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. He explained the legislative origin of the act and its implications for the situation in the Taiwan Strait to Yale University faculty and students. The event was moderated by Edward Wittenstein, Director of International Security Studies at the university.
Director Lee emphasized that over the past 45 years, Taiwan-US relations have endured fluctuations but have remained strong due to the United States honoring the Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances.” Taiwan has emerged as a successful democratic story, a reliable partner of the United States, and a force for good in the world. Taiwan plays an important role in Indo-Pacific geopolitics, the global supply chain, and democratic development. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are the cornerstone of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan will continue to cooperate with the United States and other democratic partners to maintain the current peaceful situation in the Taiwan Strait and uphold a rule-based international order.
Director Lee also explained the historical background of the United Nations discussions on Resolution 2758 and how in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has expanded its distortion of the resolution’s intent on the international stage. This is aimed at excluding Taiwan from the United Nations system and creating a false image that Taiwan is an internal matter of China not subject to international intervention, paving the way for future military actions against Taiwan. He called on American intellectuals to assist in clarifying and countering these falsifications.
Following the speech, Director Lee engaged in a lively Q&A session with Yale University faculty and students on topics such as cross-strait relations prospects, the united front of democratic countries in the Indo-Pacific against China, and disinformation in elections. In the evening, he dined with representatives from the university and the Connecticut State Legislature’s Friends of Taiwan Caucus, including Chairman Kevin Ryan, Assistant Aundre Bumgardner, and the Majority Leader, to exchange views on enhancing mutual exchanges and cooperation.
Responsibility Editor: Zheng Hua