The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked US Representative Ted Yoho, who on Friday announced plans to submit a bill to the US House of Representatives to authorize the US president to respond with military force if China attacks Taiwan.
The ministry would monitor the bill’s progress and, together with the US, promote regional peace, stability and prosperity, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
During an interview on Fox Business Network’s Red Storm, host Lou Dobbs asked Yoho whether the US government was doing enough to back Taiwan amid China’s constant threats.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
“This [bill] is something that’s going to lay very clear what our intent is,” Yoho said. “In fact, it will go to the point where it authorizes an AUMF [Authorization for Use of Military Force] if China invades Taiwan, and it’ll be a sunset for five years, that AUMF, that would authorize the president to use force.”
Under the US’ Taiwan Relations Act, which took effect in 1979, Washington is committed to sell Taiwan enough weapons to defend itself, he said.
“But when [Chinese President] Xi Jinping [習近平] has announced that he’s ready to draw blood over Taiwan and reunify them, they forgot to ask Taiwan,” Yoho said. “Taiwan has never been part of the People’s Republic of China, and nor do they want to.”
The bill would be titled the “Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act,” and he planned to introduce it this week, he said.
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