Members of the US House of Representatives have proposed 34 Taiwan-related amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, calling on the US to invite Taiwan to conduct joint military exercises and establish a war reserve stock program.
The US House and Senate are deliberating on the NDAA after both of their armed services committees passed their own versions of the bill last month.
According to the Web site of the House Committee on Rules, 1,399 proposed amendments were submitted by the deadline on Friday last week.
Photo: Reuters
In addition to inviting Taiwan to join next year’s Rim of the Pacific exercise, US Representative Andy Ogles said that the “US-Taiwan relationship would benefit from having President Tsai [Ing-wen (蔡英文)] address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.”
US Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of the US House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, and others called on the US secretary of defense to strengthen working-level communication between the US and Taiwan, such as conducting joint exercises and exchanging operation tactics, techniques and procedures.
Gallagher also proposed that the US should evaluate the provision of defense support for Taiwan, launch a war reserve stock program and study the feasibility of establishing a combined planning group with Taiwan.
An amendment proposed by US Representative Tom Tiffany would prohibit the US Department of Defense from creating, procuring or displaying any map that depicts Taiwan or its outlying islands as part of the territory of China.
Taiwan must not be referred to as anything other than Taiwan in publications or on departmental and agency Web sites, US Representative Scott Perry proposed.
Members of the US military and Department of Defense employees should be exempted “from arbitrary, self-imposed State Department restrictions on official travel to Taiwan and normal communication with Taiwanese officials,” Tiffany proposed.
US Representative Ann Wagner asked the government to regularly review its Taiwan contact guidelines to see if they accomplish the objectives set out in the Taiwan Assurance Act and the Taiwan Relations Act, and identify “opportunities to lift self-imposed restrictions on relations with Taiwan.”
If Taiwan is neither a member nor observer of the WHO and had not participated in the preceding World Health Assembly, funds authorized or appropriated under the NDAA should not be made available to the WHO, US Representative Dave Joyce’s amendment says.
Cross-party representatives Young Kim, Al Green and Michael Lawler urged the US governor of the IMF “to vigorously advocate for Taiwan’s admission into the IMF as a member.”
US representatives Tony Gonzales and Mariannette Miller-Meeks called for a report on the feasibility of establishing a US Customs and Border Patrol pre-clearance facility in Taiwan, which would expedite travel to the US.
After the full House and Senate have passed their versions of the bill, both chambers are to negotiate a final compromise version before sending it to the US president to be signed.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
COGNITIVE WARFARE: Chinese fishing boats transmitting fake identification signals are meant to test Taiwan’s responses to different kinds of perceived incursions, a report said Chinese vessels are transmitting fake signals in Taiwan’s waters as a form of cognitive warfare, testing Taipei’s responses to various types of incursions, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said on Friday. Several Chinese fishing vessels transmitted fake automatic identification system (AIS) signals in Taiwan’s waters last month, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another impersonating a Chinese law enforcement vessel, the report said. Citing data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the report said that throughout August and last month, the Chinese fishing boat Minshiyu 06718 (閩獅漁06718) sailed through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting its own AIS
CHINESE INFILTRATION: Medical logistics is a lifeline during wartime and the reported CCP links of a major logistics company present a national security threat, an expert said The government would bolster its security check system to prevent China from infiltrating the nation’s medical cold chain, a national security official said yesterday. The official, who wished to stay anonymous, made the remarks after the Chinese-language magazine Mirror Media (鏡周刊) reported that Pharma Logistics (嘉里醫藥物流) is in charge of the medical logistics of about half of the nation’s major hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The company’s parent, Kerry TJ Logistics Co (嘉里大榮物流), is associated with the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the
RSS