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US committee backs
¡¥Taiwan Policy Act¡¦
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT: A bill to offer more
military, diplomatic and trade ties was introduced by five lawmakers, but has a
long way to go before becoming law
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON
The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved
the ¡§Taiwan Policy Act¡¨ on Thursday to ¡§strengthen and clarify¡¨ US-Taiwan
relations.
While the bill contains substantial policy changes that would benefit Taiwan,
and this latest development was significant, it still has a long way to go
before becoming law.
A version has yet to be introduced in the Senate and the House leadership must
now be persuaded to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. Nevertheless,
insiders agree that if the bill does reach the House floor it has enough support
to pass and sources say there is ¡§interest¡¨ in introducing a similar bill into
the Senate.
At the very least, the bill demonstrates once again that Taiwan maintains
powerful backing and goodwill in the House.
¡§US-Taiwan relations have suffered from inattention and lack of strategic
vision,¡¨ the bill says.
The act would transfer the guided missile frigates USS Taylor, USS Carr and USS
Elrod to Taiwan and make available upgrades to modern combat aircraft,
submarines and short-range air defense. It also authorizes the president to
accept a letter of request for F-16C/D jets; encourages Cabinet-level visits;
permits meetings between high-level officials in all executive departments; and
allows the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the American
Institute in Taiwan to display their respective flags.
It also calls for completion of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)
and seeks the negotiation of a free-trade agreement with Taiwan; supports
meaningful participation for Taiwan in relevant UN organizations and seeks to
ensure participation for Taiwan in the World Health Assembly.
The bill was introduced by Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and co-chairs of
the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, respresentatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Gerald
Connolly, John Carter and Albio Sires.
¡§Our relationship with Taiwan is a cornerstone of US foreign policy in the
region,¡¨ said committee Chairman Ed Royce, a Republican.
¡§Our relations with Taiwan are stronger than ever, yet Taiwan faces a precarious
situation as North Korea remains unpredictable and China continues to ramp up
its military presence in the region and pursue antagonistic policies in the
Taiwan Strait and South China Sea,¡¨ Ros-Lehtinen said.
¡§With the ever-expanding territorial ambitions of China, the US-Taiwan alliance
becomes more and more important,¡¨ Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
president Mark Kao (°ªÀsºa) said.
¡§We at FAPA will mobilize all our members all over the US to help ensure that
this critically important bill becomes law at the earliest opportunity,¡¨ he
said.
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