Media Mention: USTBC President Interview about Tsai Ing-wen’s defense legacy

May 14, 2024

US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers appeared on TaiwanPlus News on May 14, 2024. He discussed outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen’s policy on national defense and the challenges she faced during her term.

Responding to Taiwan’s doubled defense budget in the last 8 years under Tsai, Hammond-Chambers said,

[President Tsai] had two challenges. One, she had to play catch-up because force modernization is a year-on-year effort. President Tsai comes into office and the previous administrations – both in Taiwan and the United States – had all but ignored the threat from the Chinese in the Taiwan Strait.

Later, he responded to Taiwan’s increased cooperation with the United States to acquire advanced weaponry.

[President Tsai] worked with the United States to regularize and normalize the arms sales process and security assistance. Secondly, she worked with the United States to raise the ambition in U.S.-Taiwan security cooperation. So that we could talk about things that previously was not being discussed.

Source: TaiwanPlus

Related Media

Rupert on NTD Business talking BTA
September 17, 2020 USTBC in the Press

Media Mention: Council President talks BTA Coalition on NTD Business

US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers appeared on NTD Business on September 17, 2020. He talked about the formation of the US-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) Coalition. President Hammond-Chambers also discussed a bilateral trade agreement between the two, saying it would be mutually beneficial. In addition, he talked about the hurdles remaining to signing such […]

Rupert on NTD Business
August 28, 2020 USTBC in the Press

Media Mention: Council President on NTD Business

Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers (@RJHCUSTBC) appeared on NTD Business on August 28, 2020. He talked about the unilateral move by Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen to loosen restrictions on U.S. meat imports, and the impact this important policy change could have on U.S. businesses, as well as the improved prospects for a U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement […]

Rupert Hammond-Chambers on CNBC Squawk Box
May 11, 2020 USTBC in the Press

Media Mention: Council President on CNBC Squawk Box

Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers (@RJHCUSTBC) appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on May 11, 2020. He talked about Taiwan and the global chip supply chain. Mr. Hammond-Chambers said that it’s worth watching how active the United States will be in using the semiconductor industry to reinforce its national security.  Washington could leverage semiconductor equipment exports to determine […]