First mention of Taiwan at event since 2002
Taiwan News
Date: 2017/06/03
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – United States Defense Secretary James Mattis told the Asia
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis gives a speech about “The United States and Asia-Pacific Security” at the first plenary session at the 2017 International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual defense and security forum in Asia, Saturday, June 3, 2017 in Singapore. (AP Photo/Joseph Nair)
Security Summit in Singapore that Washington would abide by its commitment to Taiwan, reportedly angering Chinese delegates at the event, reports said Saturday.
In his speech at the first plenary session of the event, which is also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Trump Administration official included Taiwan in its regional strategic partnership with countries in the Asian region for the first time since the summit was launched in 2002.
“The Department of Defense remains steadfastly committed to working with Taiwan and with its democratic government to provide it the defense articles necessary, consistent with the obligations set out in the Taiwan Relations Act, because we stand for the peaceful resolution of any issues in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Mattis was quoted by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post as saying. [FULL STORY]
