COMMON THREAT: Brent Christensen said the US and Taiwan both face challenges from disinformation campaigns and have been working to combat misinformation

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 23, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan  /  Staff reporter

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is concerned about possible Chinese interference in Taiwan’s

elections through disinformation campaigns, AIT Director Brent Christensen said yesterday in Taipei, but added that the US’ de facto embassy enjoys good relations with the major local parties.

Christensen made the remarks in response to media queries at a news conference at the institute’s offices in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), where he delivered a speech on enhancing people-to-people ties between the US and Taiwan.

The speech was the last of his “four promotes” — promoting US-Taiwan security cooperation; bilateral economic and commercial relations; Taiwan’s role in the global community; and people-to-people ties — that he set as priorities when he assumed the post in August last year.

Asked if the US would send more warships through the Taiwan Strait to help ensure that the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections are fair, Christensen said that the US remains firm in its belief in the freedoms of navigation and flight as allowed by international law.    [FULL  STORY]