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Pro-independence groups urge US to
stand by TRA
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Supporters of the 908 Taiwan
Republic Campaign and other pro-independence groups deliver a petition to the
American Institute in Taiwan in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Pro-independence groups yesterday urged
the US to firmly stand by the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and its commitments,
marking the 33rd anniversary of the US law.
Led by 908 Taiwan Republic Campaign convener Peter Wang (¤ýÄm·¥), about 100
representatives of civic groups gathered in front of the American Institute in
Taiwan¡¦s (AIT) office in Taipei to commemorate the anniversary of TRA being
signed into law.
They also submitted a letter to US President Barack Obama.
The law, which defines the US¡¦ position on Taiwan and relations between
Americans and Taiwanese, was signed into law by then-US president Jimmy Carter
on April 10, 1979, after the US established official diplomatic relations with
China.
In the letter, the independence supporters expressed appreciation for the US¡¦
efforts to help maintain stability across the Taiwan Strait, but also showed
concern about the US¡¦ ¡§obvious support¡¨ for President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E) during
the recent presidential election campaign and talk of ¡§the US abandoning
Taiwan.¡¨
The groups called for Washington to stand by the TRA and call on the 48
signatory countries of the Treaty of San Francisco to initiate a referendum for
Taiwanese to determine their future.
They also said the Republic of China government-in-exile does not hold
legitimacy over Taiwan¡¦s sovereignty.
Four representatives met with AIT spokesperson Chris Kavanagh, who pledged to
deliver the letter to Washington, telling the representatives that the TRA was
as important to the US as it was to Taiwan.
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