The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, which includes US backing for expanded military exchanges with Taiwan and amendments to US Navy port of call stops in Taiwan.
The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which serves as the foundation for commercial, cultural and other relations between Taiwan and the US, and the “six assurances” are included in the bill, which cleared with a 344 to 81 vote.
It is the “sense of [US] Congress” that, in accordance with the TRA, the US should make available and provide timely review of requests for defense articles and services that might be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, the bill states.
The US should seek opportunities for expanded training and exercises with Taiwan, and encourage Taiwan’s continued investment in asymmetric self-defense capabilities that are mobile and survivable against threatening forces, it adds.
It was also the “sense of Congress” that “Taiwan should significantly increase its defense budget to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”
A “sense of Congress” is a formal expression of opinion, but is not legally binding.
Many amendments to the bill were also passed, including two on Taiwan.
One amendment requires the US secretary of defense to report to congressional committees by no later than Sept. 1 next year on “the feasibility and advisability” of the US Navy making port of call stops in Taiwan and of the Republic of China Navy making port calls in US territories.
The other amendment pertains to normalizing the transfer of defense articles and defense services to Taiwan, again using a “sense of Congress” clause.
It stipulates that no later than 120 days after the US secretary of defense receives a letter of request from Taiwan with respect to the transfer of a defense article or service to Taiwan, the secretary, in consultation with the US secretary of state, should submit a congressional report on the issue.
Taiwan yesterday expressed its gratitude to the US Congress for its interest in Taiwan’s defense and the security ties between the two.
“We will continue to attach importance to investment in national defense and bolster our self-defense capabilities, and stay in close contact with friends in the US to ensure regional peace and stability,” Presidential Office spokesman Sidney Lin (林鶴明) said.
The US Senate is also to vote on a draft National Defense Authorization Act, which was recently passed by the US Senate’s Armed Services Committee. If the version is different from that of the US House of Representatives, the two chambers are to negotiate a final version.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
RSS