Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence assured on Friday in Taipei that the United States will continue to stand by its allies in the Pacific. He also urged the incoming Trump administration to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring Taiwan has the means to defend itself. During Trump's first term, in which Pence served, the U.S. provided strong support to Taiwan, including regular arms sales. However, Trump’s rhetoric during his second campaign raised concerns in Taiwan, as he suggested that the island should bear the cost of its own defense and accused it of unfairly benefiting from U.S. semiconductor business.

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