TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with the United States have intensified as Foreign Affairs Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) disclosed Monday (April 21) that Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), Taiwan's top envoy to Washington, is engaged in ongoing negotiations with U.S. officials. These high-level talks involve both the State Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, with discussions centered on non-confrontational issues while drawing comparisons to similar negotiations with other nations.
During comments before a session of the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) earlier that day, Minister Lin elaborated on the scope of the bilateral discussions, which encompass tariff structures, non-tariff trade barriers, potential investment initiatives, and strategic export control mechanisms. Lin underscored the critical nature of these negotiations for strengthening the economic partnership and diplomatic relationship between Taipei and Washington.
Minister Lin also highlighted Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's ongoing four-day diplomatic mission to Taiwan, which began Saturday. The American state leader's itinerary includes meetings with key government representatives and industrial leaders aimed at strengthening economic and cultural ties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) is actively working to deepen relationships with individual U.S. states while coordinating with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy on the island, to expand bilateral cooperation initiatives.
Addressing a sensitive security matter, Minister Lin responded to questions about espionage allegations surrounding Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑), who previously served as an aide to former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). Lin emphasized that Ho had departed from the ministry prior to Lin's appointment. The minister assured lawmakers that upon discovering Ho's alleged activities, he promptly launched an internal security review and has maintained full cooperation with Taiwan's judicial authorities throughout their investigation. ★
