TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The result of the 2024 general election will not affect the Biden administration’s commitment to Taiwan, said American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk during an interview on the food-centric TV program “Da Win Dining.”

“The United States has a bipartisan level of support for Taiwan that has not wavered as our administrations changed or as leadership changes here in Taiwan,” Oudkirk said. Having met all the presidential candidates in the past, she said, “I like them all” and is familiar with their activities.

AIT has “good working relationships” with the governments of Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the vice president’s office, the director added. Commenting on the situation in the Taiwan Strait, Oudkirk said the U.S. advocates a status quo that is based on peace and stability and not coercion.

In addition, the director expressed support for Taiwanese officials to have closer contact with their Chinese counterparts. “The United States is seeking more dialogue and engagement with the PRC (People’s Republic of China), and we would certainly not stand in the way of anyone else wanting to do that," she said. 

Oudkirk also said she hopes closer communication will help ease cross-strait tensions. “I think communication and having communication channels there, it’s important. It can be challenging; you need to have a message to communicate,” she said.

She also said all three political parties are eager to engage in dialogue with China but through different approaches. “It seems to be a common goal, and it’s certainly one that we would support,” she said.

Regarding tensions in the strait, Oudkirk does not believe war is inevitable but stressed defense as the strongest deterrence method. “Taiwan needs to be flexible and agile. It needs to message deterrence. It needs to message determination. One way to do that is to have a strong military, to have a well-trained military, a capable military the people are confident in," she said. 

Ultimately, Taiwan must “chart its own path” in its relations with China. “It is a geopolitically challenging path to chart, but it’s one where the United States will support Taiwan,” she said.

“The United States would like to be and views itself as a primary supporter and partner and friend of Taiwan, and I hope that Taiwan views us in the same way,” Oudkirk added.

The director's comments come after AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger’s recent six-day visit to Taiwan, where she asserted the U.S. would not choose sides in Taiwan's 2024 presidential election. "The United States will not take sides in Taiwan's general election and also opposes interference by external forces," said Rosenberger, who met with all three presidential candidates.