EXEMPLARY:Taiwan has given the world an illustration of what a democratic election is, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a US House committee hearing

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 30, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said that Washington wanted to make sure that Taiwan could not be coerced by China to do things “against the will of its people.”

Blinken said that he had very good talks with president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the US Department of State last summer and that “we have strongly encouraged the Chinese to engage with her and to engage with Taiwan.”

He was testifying on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in a hearing, titled “America as a Pacific Power: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia.”

US Representative Steve Chabot said that China would very likely “act up and try to throw its weight around” with Tsai’s inauguration on May 20 and the Democratic Progressive Party’s coming to power.

He said that China was a “classic bully” and that Beijing would want to show its displeasure.

“Taiwan is a very important US ally,” Chabot said.     [FULL  STORY]