US will continue Taiwan-friendly approach after election, senior Taiwan official says

People walk past a Taiwan flag in Taipei, Taiwan August 18, 2023. Ann Wang/File Photo

TAIPEI - The United States will continue its friendly approach towards Taiwan after the presidential election and Taiwan will work to prevent China "making trouble" during the transition, a senior Taiwanese security official said on Wednesday.

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency and neck and neck in the polls with Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, has made comments on the campaign trail that Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business.

Democratically-governed Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has faced a sustained military pressure campaign from Beijing over the past five years, including four major rounds of war games in the past two years.

Speaking to reporters in parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen noted the election's outcome was still unknown.

"On relations across the Taiwan Strait we believe that the United States will continue its current approach of constraining China and being friendly to Taiwan," he said.

Taiwan will continue communication with the current administration focusing on key issues for cooperation "in the next phase" and work with international partners to exchange information on China's intentions and military movements during the transition, Tsai added.

"This is as to prevent the Chinese communists from taking advantage of the transition of the U.S. government and to prevent them from making trouble during the transition," he said.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Also speaking to media at parliament, Taiwan Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei said the government was paying great attention to the election and making preparations no matter who won.

However, Taiwan-U.S. economic ties are deep and won't be easy to change and the impact on the economy will be small irrespective of who the next president is, he added.

Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier, even in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Jeanny Kao; Editing by Michael Perry)