The executive committee of the US-based Association of State Democratic Committees on Wednesday passed a resolution reaffirming Washington’s commitment to Taiwan on the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act.
The resolution was passed on the first day of the association’s four-day winter meeting in Washington. The group is comprised of state chairs and vice chairs of Democratic US states.
The Taiwan Relations Act, which was signed into law on April 10, 1979, and the “six assurances” issued by then-US president Ronald Reagan in 1982 have been the cornerstones of US policy toward Taiwan, the committee said.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
“The US and Taiwan have forged ever-closer economic and security relations over the last four decades based on their shared commitment to democracy, freedom, the rule of law and free-market principles,” the committee said.
The Taiwan-US partnership is critical for the promotion of prosperity, democratic values and security throughout the Asia-Pacific region, it said.
In the resolution, the committee reaffirmed that the “six assurances” and the Taiwan Relations Act “are and will remain cornerstones of US relations with Taiwan,” adding that it also supports Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, and a robust Taiwan-US partnership through economic, security and cultural ties.
The “six assurances” stipulate that the US would not set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan; would not alter the Taiwan Relations Act; would not hold consultations with China over arms sales to Taiwan; would not mediate between Taiwan and China; would not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China; and would not formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday issued a press release thanking the association for the resolution’s passage, saying that it demonstrates the Democratic Party’s firm support of US-Taiwan relations.
The association has long maintained friendly ties with Taiwan, the ministry said, citing as examples its passage of resolutions supporting Taiwan’s participation at the International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly in 2013 and the World Health Assembly in 2017.
It is the first time the association has passed a resolution regarding the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances,” the ministry said, adding that it carries particular significance given that Taipei and Washington are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the act’s enactment.
Meanwhile, the ministry yesterday also thanked US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Philip Davidson for on Tuesday reiterating in a written statement to the US Senate Committee on Armed Services the US’ commitment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.
Davidson also expressed in the statement the US’ concerns about China’s military buildup across the Taiwan Strait, as well as its opaqueness about its military capabilities and capacity, and its unwillingness to preclude the use of force to resolve the cross-strait issue.
He also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) proposed solution of a “one country, two systems” approach to unification does not reflect the wishes of both nations.
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
Travel agencies in Taiwan are working to secure alternative flights for travelers bound for New Zealand for the Lunar New Year holiday, as Air New Zealand workers are set to strike next week. The airline said that it has confirmed that the planned industrial action by its international wide-body cabin crew would go ahead on Thursday and Friday next week. While the Auckland-based carrier pledged to take reasonable measures to mitigate the impact of the workers’ strike, an Air New Zealand flight arriving at Taipei from Auckland on Thursday and another flight departing from Taipei for Auckland on Saturday would have to
A group from the Taiwanese Designers in Australia association yesterday represented Taiwan at the Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne. The march, held in the St. Kilda suburb, is the city’s largest LGBTQIA+ parade and the flagship event of the annual Midsumma Festival. It attracted more than 45,000 spectators who supported the 400 groups and 10,000 marchers that participated this year, the association said. Taiwanese Designers said they organized a team to march for Taiwan this year, joining politicians, government agencies, professionals and community organizations in showing support for LGBTQIA+ people and diverse communities. As the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex
MOTIVES QUESTIONED The PLA considers Xi’s policies toward Taiwan to be driven by personal considerations rather than military assessment, the Epoch Times reports Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) latest purge of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) leadership might have been prompted by the military’s opposition to plans of invading Taiwan, the Epoch Times said. The Chinese military opposes waging war against Taiwan by a large consensus, putting it at odds with Xi’s vision, the Falun Gong-affiliated daily said in a report on Thursday, citing anonymous sources with insight into the PLA’s inner workings. The opposition is not the opinion of a few generals, but a widely shared view among the PLA cadre, the Epoch Times cited them as saying. “Chinese forces know full well that
RSS