Taiwan denies public relations firm helped broker Tsai-Trump phone call
Island’s president has direct communication link with Trump’s team, spokesman says, amid media reports ex-senator Bob Dole has been acting as a go-between
Taiwan has denied a public relations firm was involved in setting up a phone call between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US president-elect Donald Trump, after it emerged former US senator Bob Dole had acted as a go-between for the two sides for months.
“Our communication channel is established directly with Trump’s team,” Tsai’s spokesman Alex Huang was quoted as saying by the Central News Agency. “It has nothing to do with any public relations firm.”
US media reports suggested that Dole, acting as a paid lobbyist for Taiwan’s government, connected Trump’s staff with Taiwanese officials in advance of the call, which took place on Friday.
Documents filed by Dole’s law firm, Alston & Bird, show that Dole, a registered foreign agent for the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office, had been manoeuvring behind-the-scenes over the last six months to build a relationship with Taiwan’s government and Trump transition officials.
Dole led a Taiwanese delegation to the Republican National Convention and coordinated with Trump campaign officials on taking part in a trip to Taiwan. He also arranged a meeting between the Taiwanese diplomats and Trump campaign officials.
The US has long followed a one-China policy, recognising the government in Beijing and limiting contact with Taipei.
Dole did not respond to an email sent after normal business hours and Miriam Brioso, a spokeswoman, did not immediately return a phone call. The disclosure was reported earlier by The New York Times.
Dole also aided efforts to influence the Republican Party platform, which calls Taiwan “a loyal friend of America” that deserves free-trade agreement status, the timely sale of defensive arms and full participation in the World Health Organisation and other multilateral institutions.
The platform also reaffirms the Taiwan Relations Act, which enshrines the unofficial relationship the US maintains with the island.
The disclosure covers Alston & Bird’s lobbying for Taiwan from the beginning of May until the end of October, well before the phone call took place. The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires lobbyists to disclose their activities every six months from the date they begin lobbying. Dole’s firm was paid US$140,000 during the period.
Dole also set up a meeting between Taiwan’s US envoy, Stanley Kao and US Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, an early supporter of Trump and his pick to be attorney general.
Officials with the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to calls for a comment.
Trump was critical of foreign lobbyists during his campaign, calling for bans on high ranking US officials representing foreign governments and on campaign fundraising by registered foreign agents.
Additional reporting by Kristin Huang
