By admin 
The United States will continue its friendly approach to Taiwan after the presidential election and Taiwan will make efforts to prevent China from “causing trouble” during the transition, a senior Taiwanese security official said on Wednesday.
Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the US presidency and neck and neck in the polls with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, made comments during the campaign that Taiwan should pay to be protected, and also accused the island of stealing of American semiconductor companies.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has faced a sustained military pressure campaign from Beijing over the past five years, including four major rounds of war in the past two years.
Speaking to reporters in parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director General Tsai Ming-yen noted that the outcome of the election is still unknown.
“On Taiwan Strait relations, we believe the United States will continue its current approach of containing China and remaining friendly toward Taiwan,” he said.
Taiwan will continue communication with the current government, focusing on key issues for cooperation “in the next phase” and work with international partners to exchange information on China’s intentions and military moves during the transition, Tsai added to it.
“This is to prevent the Chinese communists from taking advantage of the US government’s transition and to prevent them from causing trouble during the transition,” he said.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Also speaking to the media in parliament, Taiwan’s Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei said the government paid close attention to the election and made preparations regardless of who won.
However, economic ties between Taiwan and the US are deep and will not be easy to change, and the impact on the economy will be small no matter who is the next president, he added.
The Taiwanese government rejects Chinese sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
The United States is Taiwan’s main international backer and arms supplier, even though there are no formal diplomatic ties.
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