<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> A senior US </span>defense<span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> official has called for strengthening military ties with Taiwan to counter pressure from China. Speaking at a symposium in Washington on China-Taiwan relations yesterday, the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs</span>,Randall<span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Schriver said  China has been flying bombers around Taiwan and repeating military exercises off its coast. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Expressing concern over China's increasing military pressure on the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Schriver said Taiwan's stability is key to the strategy for a free and open Indo-Pacific region championed by the administration of US President Donald Trump. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chen Ming-tong </span>said,<span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Taiwan will uphold international order based on law, and work closely with the US and </span>neighboring<span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> countries to contribute to regional peace and stability.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: 16.5pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:times new roman,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:times new roman;color:#222222;mso-fareast-language:en-in"> US President, Donald Trump enacted legislation in March this year to promote ministerial exchanges with Taiwan. Earlier this month, he sent 2 Navy destroyers to the Taiwan Strait.<o:p /></span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:times new roman,serif"> </span></p>