It is an honor to be here in Taiwan and to be bringing greetings from President Trump during this challenging time for the world. My visit to Taiwan is a recognition of its success in combating COVID-19 and a testament to our shared beliefs, that open, democratic societies are best equipped to combat infectious disease threats like COVID-19.
Thank you, everyone, for joining, and thank you to the American Institute in Taiwan and the Asia Pacific Media Hub for putting this call together.
I greatly appreciate the chance to speak with members of the media throughout East Asia and the Indo-Pacific and to underscore why I’m visiting Taiwan this week.
It is an honor to be here in Taiwan and to be bringing greetings from President Trump during this challenging time for the world. My visit to Taiwan is a recognition of its success in combating COVID-19 and a testament to our shared beliefs, that open, democratic societies are best equipped to combat infectious disease threats like COVID-19. I want to emphasize that the same goes for many of our other allies around this region, including Japan and the Republic of Korea.
As I said yesterday at National Taiwan University, if a novel virus like this one had emerged in the United States, Taiwan, or another open society, it would have gone very differently: It would have been reported to public health authorities, who would have shared that information with the public and with medical professionals.
Even more important, it would have been reported in a timely, accurate, and transparent manner under the International Health Regulations, under which Taiwan has been a model of compliance on information-sharing.
And, of course, journalists like you would have been able to inform the public about this vital health information in an open and transparent manner.
Everyone in Taiwan can take pride in the success that they have had against this virus. Truly, the Taiwan model of responding to COVID-19 has been a model for the world.
The various activities throughout my trip reflect that theme: In meeting with both President Tsai and Foreign Minister Wu, I emphasized the United States’ belief that Taiwan should be able to share its lessons, success, and expertise on the world stage, including at the World Health Organization.
In meeting with my counterpart, Minister Chen of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, we marked the more than two decades of cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan on health. The American Institute in Taiwan and the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office signed a memorandum of understanding that will formalize this relationship and lay a foundation for deeper cooperation in the years to come.
Later this morning, with Vice Premier Shen, I will visit Changhong facemask machine factory, which has helped manufacture supplies to combat COVID-19. That visit underscores the value we place on the burgeoning U.S.–Taiwan economic relationship and the success of Taiwan’s dynamic, free-market approach to economics, with Taiwan now ranking as one of the United States’ top ten trading partners.
I have also had the chance to meet with many of Taiwan’s world-class public health experts, including former Vice President Chen, who obtained his doctorate in epidemiology and genetics from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
Vice President Chen played a key role in Taiwan’s decision to undergo a Joint External Evaluation of its health security work in 2016, becoming just the eighth jurisdiction to do so.
That is just one more example of why we have argued for Taiwan to be allowed to participate in global and regional arenas for cooperation. Taiwan has much to share with the world, and I emerge from this trip only more convinced of that fact.
Taiwan is a democratic success story, a reliable partner, and a force for good in the world.
To conclude, I want to offer a special thank you to everyone I have met while I have been in Taiwan.
I have been warmly welcomed here, and I am grateful to have learned so much about Taiwan’s success in health, economics, and open, democratic governance.
So thank you again to everyone here in Taiwan for welcoming me. I’m now happy to take some questions.
