• Thomas-Greenfield said, “We’re really grateful to our Japanese hosts and to the Japanese people for their commitment to hosting a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games”

NEW YORK: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Thursday that the staging of the Tokyo Olympics is a testament of “Japanese people’s resolve to overcoming great adversity.”

The envoy made the comment in a conference call with Japanese media held before her trip to Japan to attend Sunday’s closing ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, which is dubbed “the Reconstruction Olympics” to showcase the progress of recovery in areas hit by the 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami.

Thomas-Greenfield also said, “We’re really grateful to our Japanese hosts and to the Japanese people and to the International Olympic Committee for their commitment to hosting a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She will visit Japan for four days from Friday as head of a delegation sent by the U.S. government to the Olympic closing ceremony.

Regarding the situation in the Taiwan Strait, where China has been increasing military pressure on Taiwan, Thomas-Greenfield said the United States’ “rock solid commitment” to Taiwan contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the strait and in the region.

The envoy said that the United States is committed to deepening its unofficial ties with Taiwan and that she met the Taiwanese ambassador to Haiti when she visited the Caribbean nation for the funeral of its assassinated president, Jovenel Moise.

Referring to food shortages in North Korea, Thomas-Greenfield said sanctions against the reclusive state do not target humanitarian-related trade assistance and do not create the humanitarian crises in that country. “We’re open to considering additional ways to facilitate humanitarian assistance going forward as quickly as possible,” she added.

JIJI Press