OT-1989
November 20, 2019
Remarks by AIT Director W. Brent Christensen
at GCTF Workshop on Good Energy Governance in the Indo-Pacific
November 20, 2019
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Minister Shen, Deputy Minister Hsu, Deputy Assistant Secretary Urbanas, Representative Izumi and Representative Cowan, speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends, good morning!
It is my great pleasure to be with you this morning to kick off this workshop on Good Energy Governance in the Indo-Pacific held under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, or “GCTF.”
Please allow me to extend our appreciation to the Ministry of Economic Affairs Bureau of Energy Director General Yu and his team, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for organizing this workshop.
We are honored to have U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Urbanas with us today. And I would like to express my special thanks to our other expert speakers from the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of State.
I want to especially recognize those of you who traveled to Taiwan this week. The workshop builds on a long history of cooperation between the United States and Taiwan on energy issues. The U.S. Department of Energy conducts multiple technical exchanges with counterpart agencies in Taiwan. U.S. companies have also provided solutions to meet Taiwan’s energy needs.
There is no doubt that addressing our shared energy concerns and challenges will require a better understanding of the opportunities available, and faster transmission of knowledge, expertise, and best practices among friends and neighbors. Countries around the world are looking for ways to ensure economic growth and stable energy supplies.
The United States is a world leader in oil and gas production, and we have also successfully reduced energy-related carbon emissions. For nearly two decades, the United States has reduced more of those emissions than any other nation on earth. Thanks to innovative breakthroughs, we are able to embrace new and smarter ways to reach our energy and our environmental goals.
Through the GCTF program, the United States and Taiwan, along with Japan and other partner countries, have addressed global challenges by providing a platform for information-sharing and other collaborative efforts. We are very pleased that Australia for the first time has joined this workshop.
Taiwan is a like-minded and reliable partner that has significant expertise to contribute in energy governance and many other areas. We have brought together hundreds of regional experts for GCTF programs on public health, energy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, women’s empowerment, media literacy, law enforcement, and the digital economy.
We want to work with Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and your countries to establish and strengthen the relationships between regional energy experts. We have a shared commitment to sustainable and responsible energy governance structures that will allow for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Under Asia EDGE (Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy), the U.S. government seeks to support energy security, catalyze private sector investment in energy markets, and help partners set transparent, market-based energy policies.
My colleagues from the State Department and Department of Energy will be sharing more information over the next few days on the U.S. resources and technical expertise we are mobilizing across the region.
I wish you all a productive workshop and enjoyable visit to Taiwan.
Thank you.
