(19 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taipei, Taiwan – 19 June 2024
1. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te arriving at news conference at the presidential office in Taipei
2. Wide of Lai sitting with Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao (second from left) and officials
3. Journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan President:
"The annexation of Taiwan is the national policy of the People’s Republic of China. In addition to the use of force, it has also used non-traditional coercion methods in recent years to force Taiwan to surrender."
5. Wide of news conference
6. Journalist asking question
7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan President:
"We are very grateful that the recent G7 leaders’ summit has once again concluded that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is an essential element of global security and prosperity. It also requires China to abandon the use of coercion to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and return to the rules-based international order."
8. Wide of news conference
9. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan President:
"We also thank the United States for its arms sales to Taiwan, and we hope that the U.S. government and Congress will support Taiwan and do more to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
10. Journalist asking question
11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan President:
"In the future, we will continue to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities, whether through military procurement or defense self-sufficiency, and more importantly, we will continue to strengthen our economic resilience, and also stand with the democratic camp to jointly exert deterrent power to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
12. Pan of news conference
13. Lai and Hsiao raising fists and cheering
STORYLINE:
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday thanked the U.S. for approving the latest arms sale to Taiwan during a news conference in Taipei.
He said such authorizations help maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Lai said his government will continue to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities through military procurement or defense self-sufficiency.
The Biden administration on Tuesday approved a new $360 million weapons sale to Taiwan, sending the island hundreds of armed drones, missile equipment and related support material, the State Department said in a statement that is sure to draw condemnation from China.
The announcement was not unexpected but it comes at a time of high tension between Washington and Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to consolidate by force if necessary.
The sale includes 291 Altius-600M systems, which are unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, with warheads. It also includes 720 Switchblade drones known as “extended-range loitering munitions,” the State Department said.
The U.S. statement claimed that the latest weapons transfer would not affect the military balance in the region.
The announcement was not unusual, although the U.S. and China have in recent months sought to smooth tense relations.
AP video shot by Johnson Lai
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