US defense contractors want deeper cooperation with Taiwan

By HUIZHONG WU and JOHNSON LAI
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A delegation of United States defense contractors and a former senior leader of the U.S. Marine Corps are pledging the beginning of deeper cooperation with Taiwan. Speaking at a public forum Wednesday in Taipei, retired Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder said the U.S. wants to be part of the defense capabilities of Taiwan and improve the island’s supply chain resilience. He emphasized Taiwan’s critical position for security, saying there’s no more important area in the world to maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region. China, which claims the island as its territory, has been sending military planes and ships toward the island on a near-daily basis. The U.S. is Taiwan’s largest unofficial partner and supplies the vast majority of its defense purchases.