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US report lists key
Taiwan policy issues
CRITICAL CONCERNS: Members of the US Congress
were asked to consider 15 key issues, ranging from arms sales to trade,
cross-strait relations and Taiwan¡¦s role in Asia
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON
The US Congress may consider 15 ¡§salient¡¨ Taiwan policy issues this year, based
on a report released this week by the Congressional Research Service.
The report, The US-Taiwan Relationship: Overview of Policy Issues, outlines
issues ranging from arms sales to trade, relations with Beijing to membership in
international organizations. The issues are presented in the form of questions
that members of Congress are urged to ask themselves.
Written by Asian security affairs specialist Shirley Kan and Asian trade and
finance specialist Wayne Morrison, the 30-page report could set the Taiwan
agenda for the upcoming Congressional session.
In an overview of US policy interests and issues, Kan and Morrison say that
Taiwan has been of ¡§significant¡¨ security, economic and political interest to
the US.
They say that the US has a ¡§critical concern¡¨ with the ¡§ties or tensions¡¨ across
the Taiwan Strait and that the situation has an impact on international security
and cooperation between Beijing and Washington.
¡§For decades, Taipei has harbored fears about whether Beijing¡¦s cooperation with
Washington has occurred at the expense of Taiwan¡¦s interests,¡¨ the report says.
The first question members of Congress are asked is how effectively the
administration of US President Barack Obama is encouraging Taiwan to support US
interests in peace and prosperity, including in US alliances and the
cross-strait relationship.
¡§Is the administration effectively influencing Taiwan to play a helpful,
stabilizing role in maritime territorial disputes in East Asia?¡¨ it asks.
Congress is asked to think how it could better ¡§engage¡¨ Taiwan and the US should
resume visits by Cabinet-level officials to Taiwan.
¡§Should the US sell more weapons and which ones, as requested by Taiwan for its
self-defense?¡¨ the report asks.
And should the US ¡§encourage¡¨ Taiwan to strengthen its self-defense, including
by increasing the defense budget? it continues.
Kan and Morrison also ask if the US should sign an extradition treaty with
Taiwan and favor membership or observer status for Taiwan in international
organizations.
Among the other questions Congress is asked to consider:
¡E Should Washington allow more senior officials from Taiwan to visit the US and
should there be expanded communication with President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E)?
¡E What is Taiwan¡¦s role in the US¡¦ comprehensive strategy for rebalancing
priorities toward the Asian-Pacific region and should US military officers be
allowed to visit Taiwan?
¡E Should the US reopen Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks
with Taiwan, negotiate a free-trade agreement and include Taiwan in the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)?
The report says that further into Ma¡¦s second term, Beijing could increase
pressure for political and military negotiations.
¡§Beijing¡¦s patience could be tested further by the sustained separate identity
in Taiwan,¡¨ it says.
¡§Taiwan¡¦s people retain a strong Taiwan-centric identity after over a century of
mostly separation from Mainland China,¡¨ the report says.
¡§Taiwan¡¦s people pragmatically have pursued prosperity, security and their
democratic way of life and self-governance,¡¨ it says.
¡§Moderate voters generally have supported economic ties to the PRC [People¡¦s
Republic of China] amid political separation,¡¨ it concluded.
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