WASHINGTON (TVBS News) — U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Friday (Dec. 15) urged all parties to refrain from interfering with the upcoming elections in Taiwan and to act responsibly.
During his speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., Burns quoted President Biden, reaffirming that the U.S. policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged after the Biden-Xi meeting.
He emphasized the U.S.'s strong desire for Taiwan's elections to be free from outside threats, coercion, or interference and stated clearly that the U.S. will not involve itself in the electoral process.
"We hope to see responsible behavior from all sides in the run-up to the election," said Burns.
He further described U.S.-China relations as "hopeful" and "realistic," but not "optimistic."
He noted Beijing's commitment to tackling the fentanyl crisis as a tangible result, and expressed eagerness to restore bilateral military communication, following the APEC meeting in November.
Burns underscored the U.S.' intention to mitigate risks with China rather than decoupling, advocating for a realistic and hopeful approach to the trajectory of U.S.-China ties.