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As Taiwan's friend and ally, I believe it is important for the United States to monitor the situation in the Taiwan Strait very carefully to help ensure Taiwan is not forced into a position which would endanger its freedom or its democracy.

The PRC is the big brother in this relationship, and it has the capacity to be generous to Taiwan on this issue in a manner that might do much to defuse that issue internally in Taiwan.

And it's difficult for the average American to understand why something like that could be so important and why a little small place like Taiwan would be so important to the PRC.

Taiwan matters because of its vital role in spreading democracy in East Asia. Taiwan matters because of its strategic importance to promote peace in the Pacific region.

Taiwan is a major economy.

We will strive to make Taiwan a better place and enable our people to live better lives.

Taiwan and China are related ethnically and close neighbors geographically. There's no reason to resent or to fight against each other.

Taiwan is an independent sovereign country.

There is a great deal of concern in the Chinese military that Taiwan's reunification with China is drifting further and further away.

We will work toward maintaining the status quo for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in order to bring the greatest benefits and well-being to the Taiwanese people.