TAIPEI, Feb 20 — US support for Taiwan is “very strong”, Taipei’s security chief said today, as the self-ruled island seeks to head off President Donald Trump’s threats of hefty tariffs on its semiconductor chips.
The United States is Taiwan’s most important backer and biggest arms supplier, but Trump’s recent warnings of chip taxes and criticisms of Taipei has raised concerns about his commitment to the island’s security.
Taiwan lives under the constant threat of an invasion by China, which claims the island as part of its territory.
Trump has previously accused Taiwan of stealing the US chip industry and suggested it should pay the United States for its defence.
Speaking at a security forum on Thursday, Taiwan’s National Security Council chief Joseph Wu praised the United States for providing defence equipment to Taiwan, training its soldiers and boosting its international presence.
“I think the Trump administration support for Taiwan will remain very strong,” Wu told the HFX Taipei Forum.
“I think it’s very clear that the United States is supporting Taiwan, and with the US support, I think we will be more confident in defending ourselves.”
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Friday vowed to boost investment in the United States and spend more on its own defences. — AFP
