Former Vice President Pence calls on Trump to renew US support for Taiwan

Audio By Carbonatix

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called on President-elect Donald Trump to renew his pledge to support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Speaking during a visit Friday to Taipei, Pence said China’s annexation of the island would impact global trade, technology and nuclear proliferation.

“The fall of Taiwan would likely spark a new nuclear arms race,” he said. “Smaller Asian nations concerned about Chinese aggression would no longer be confident of American deterrence. American security commitments would be viewed as empty promises, destabilizing not only this region but the wider world.”

He added nations would feel “they had no choice but to develop their own nuclear arsenal,” which would increase the risk of global nuclear confrontation.

Pence, who served as vice president during Trump’s first term but had a falling out with his former boss over Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election, sought to reassure Taiwanese people of Washington’s continued support.

The United States is Taiwan’s main arms provider and favors maintaining the status quo between Taipei and Beijing, which has threatened to annex the self-ruled island, by force if necessary.

On his campaign trail last year, Trump cast doubt over the U.S.’ continued backing of Taiwan, accusing the island of stealing the chip industry from the U.S. decades and saying Taiwan should pay the U.S. for protection against China.

Pence, speaking at an educational forum in Taiwan’s capital, said he was convinced the U.S. would never “abandon” its allies across the Pacific Ocean.

“I call on the new administration in Washington, D.C., and freedom loving nations around the world to urgently renew our commitment for providing Taiwan with the support it needs to defend itself and its freedom,” he said.

He also called on Trump’s incoming administration to start negotiations for a free trade agreement with Taiwan, a development that’s long been floated by various U.S. and Taiwanese politicians and that would be sure to anger China.

Pence said during Trump’s first term, he and the president “changed the national consensus on China in the United States.”

“Now there is a broad and bipartisan agreement in our nation’s capital that China today represents the greatest strategic and economic threat facing our nation and our allies in the 21st century,” he said.

On Thursday, Pence attended a business event in Hong Kong, where he called for the release of imprisoned publisher Jimmy Lai.