The US Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed Concurrent Resolution 13 reaffirming the US’ commitment to Taiwan and to the implementation of its Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
The US House of Representatives version of the resolution was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on April 9.
The resolution was introduced on April 4 by US Senator Cory Gardner, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
It was cosponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe and US senators Robert Menendez and Edward Markey, among others.
Besides recognizing the TRA and the “six assurances” as the “cornerstones of United States relations with Taiwan,” the resolution encourages mutual visits between Taiwanese and US officials at all levels in accordance with the US’ Taiwan Travel Act.
In the resolution, the US Senate “reiterates that the president should conduct regular transfers of defense articles to Taiwan,” “calls upon the secretary of state to actively engage internationally in support of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations,” and “urges the president to explore opportunities to expand and deepen bilateral economic and trade relations with Taiwan.”
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that the resolution’s passage was an “important expression of the US Congress’ attitude.”
The resolution shows that relations between Taiwan and the US are at their best, she said.
“The efforts of the government have been allowing the US and other [members of the] international community to work together with Taiwan to protect values shared internationally, and to become partners in the goal of regional peace and stability,” Tsai said.
Many countries in the region see Taiwan as an “indispensable partner,” she added.
The passage of “Taiwan-friendly resolutions” by the US Congress carries significant meaning in a year when the TRA is celebrating its 40th anniversary, yet China is attempting to “force ‘one country, two systems’ on Taiwan, dispatching military aircraft across the median line of the Taiwan Strait to engage in provocation and publicly destroying the cross-strait ‘status quo,’” the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US said.
Additional reporting by Aaron Tu
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