Taiwan, US sign coast guard MOUFREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC: The memorandum of understanding would be the basis for the establishment of a joint coast guard working group, Tsai Ing-wen saidBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterTaiwan and the US on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a coast guard working group, the first official document inked by the two nations since US President Joe Biden took office in January. Coast Guard Administration Director-General Chou Mei-wu, right, presents American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen with a model of a coast guard vessel at an event in Taipei yesterday to mark Taiwan and the US signing a memorandum of understanding to establish a coast guard working group. American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Ingrid Larson, left, and Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim in Washington on Thursday hold up a signed memorandum of understanding to establish a Taiwan and US coast guard working group. “This MOU formalizes our already robust and longstanding cooperation with Taiwan’s coast guard,” AIT Director Brent Christensen said, describing Taiwan’s coast guard as “highly versatile in a variety of skills.”Taiwan’s coast guard regularly takes part in training exercises at the US Coast Guard Academy, and it also invites USCG members to visit Taiwan to increase bilateral interactions, CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) said. The news conference was also attended by Japanese Representative to Taiwan Hiroyasu Izumi, British Representative to Taiwan John Dennis and Canadian Representative to Taiwan Jordan Reeves, as well as other foreign envoys.

Source: Taipei Times March 26, 2021 15:56 UTC