Former top White House economic aide Brian Deese will be part of a bipartisan diplomatic delegation representing President Joe Biden at the inauguration of Taiwanese President-elect Lai Ching-te next week in Taipei.
The selection of Deese, who stepped down as director of Biden’s National Economic Council in February 2023, underscores the importance of Taiwan’s economy, particularly as a semiconductor manufacturer, to the U.S.
Deese will be accompanied by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush and later identified Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative in a media leak. Brookings Institution Center for Asia Policy Studies nonresident senior fellow Richard Bush, who was chair of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan, will also be part of the delegation, in addition to current chair Laura Rosenberger, who was previously Biden’s National Security Council China and Taiwan senior director.
Lai Ching-te, known too as William Lai, is vice president to incumbent Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, of the Democratic Progressive Party. Lai won the presidency in January and will be inaugurated May 20 local time. In the past, Lai has described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwanese independence,” but has since emphasized his preference for the status quo with a closer relationship with the U.S.
The Biden administration has reiterated how the U.S. has traditionally sent delegations to Taiwanese presidential inaugurations since Taiwan’s first fully democratic elections in 1996 as China threatens to react to allies and partners of the Lai government.
“In fact, President Biden has sent three delegations of former [U.S. government] officials, one in April 2021, one in February 2022, and, most recently, in January 2024, just a few months ago, right after the Taiwan presidential election,” an administration official told reporters during an embargoed Monday press call.
“The inauguration is part of a normal, routine democratic process, as is the sending of this delegation,” the official said.
The administration official, who disclosed that the Biden administration has spoken with Lai’s government about his inaugural address, additionally repeated Biden’s support of China’s “One China” Policy, under which Taiwan is part of China and not an independent country.
“We oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,” the official said. “We do not support Taiwan independence. We support cross-strait dialogue and we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means free from coercion.”
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“Throughout this sensitive period, we intend to keep channels of communication open both with Beijing, through diplomatic and [military-to-military] channels, but also in keeping with our unofficial relationship with Taiwan,” the source added.
The Taiwanese inauguration coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the pair parade their own closer relationship.
