‘KEY PARTNER’: The new AIT head said in Mandarin that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was a common and long-term interest of both Taipei and Washington

The US would continue to help Taiwan bolster its ability to defend itself, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said in a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday.

Greene assumed his new role as AIT director on Monday, serving as Washington’s top envoy to Taiwan.

“First of all, and the most important thing, the US will strongly support Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities,” Greene said.

American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene, left, speaks with President William Lai, right, at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: Presidential Office via AP

“We both have common and long-term interests in peace and stability over the Taiwan Strait,” he added.

This support was in line with Washington’s long-standing policy guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the “six assurances,” he said.

Greene, who delivered his remarks in Mandarin, stressed the need to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, describing it as a common and long-term interest of Taipei and Washington, and as extremely important for global security and prosperity.

He also said he was “confident that with the support of the global democratic community, we can safeguard Taiwan’s democracy.”

Calling Taiwan “a key partner” in promoting trade and the global supply chain resilience, Greene said he was looking forward to working with the Lai administration to advance bilateral economic, cultural and technological cooperation.

In his remarks, Lai thanked the US for showing its commitment to supporting Taiwan’s efforts to improve its security, mentioning in particular the 15 announcements of arms sales to Taiwan under the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Lai reiterated his pledge to maintain the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, despite increasing challenges posed by China, and expressed the hope of working closely with the US and other like-minded countries in support of the prosperity and development of the Indo-Pacific region.

As a career diplomat, Greene has previously been posted to Taiwan twice, including serving as deputy AIT director from 2018 to 2021.

Before arriving in Taiwan to take charge of the AIT, which represents US interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties, Greene was deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Japan.