Republican senators urge Trump to send senior official to AIT opening in Taipei

共和黨參議員敦促川普派內閣閣員到台北AIT開幕典禮

The letter called Taiwan a ‘strong ally’ and ‘important economic and security partner’


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Four Republican Party senators sent President Donald Trump a letter urging him to dispatch a Cabinet-level official to the official opening of the new AIT office in Neihu (內湖), Taipei City on June 12.

The letter called Taiwan "an important economic and security partner" and "a strong ally of the United States."

The letter describes the move as a means to demonstrate the U.S.'s commitment to Taiwan in the context of an increasingly assertive China.

The letter characterises the $US250 million compound as a "tangible symbol of the enduring friendship between Washington, D.C. and Taipei".

The letter also thanked President Trump for signing the Taiwan Travel Act into law on March 16, 2018, which allows U.S. officials to travel to Taiwan in an official capacity.

The letter was signed by Marco Rubio from Florida, Jim Inhofe from Oklahoma, Cory Gardner from Colorado and John Cornyn from Texas on June 8.

Cornyn is the Senate Majority Whip and Gardner previously was the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The U.S. Cabinet is made up of the Vice President and heads of federal executive departments. The Cabinet is at the highest-level of government and acts as an advisory body to the President.

The full text of the letter can be accessed on Marco Rubio's website.