A bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Monday reintroduced the Taiwan International Solidarity Act in the House of Representatives after the pro-Taiwan legislation stalled in the Senate in 2023.
The act “encourages the US to work with allies and partners to oppose the People’s Republic of China’s efforts to undermine Taiwan’s diplomatic relationships and partnerships globally,” said a press release from the office of US Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who introduced the bill.
The legislation “clarifies” that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 — which Beijing has cited as a legal basis for its territorial claim over Taiwan — “does not preclude the United States from using its vote, voice and influence to resist the reckless campaign against Taiwan’s place on the world stage,” the press release said.
Photo: AFP
Connolly said the bill is built on the 2019 Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act to counter China’s “weaponization” of international organizations, and “stand in solidarity with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan.”
The draft bill would require the US government “to use the voice, vote and influence of the United States” to “advocate ... to resist the People’s Republic of China’s efforts to distort the decisions, language, policies or procedures of [international] organizations regarding Taiwan.”
“Taiwan has a track record of success in democracy and global health security, and its perspective deserves to be heard,” said US Representative Young Kim, a Republican who cosponsored the bill.
Kim, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, said the act helps demonstrate “through meaningful action” US support for Taiwan’s status in international organizations.
“Taiwan’s participation in global conversation is the world’s gain,” Kim was quoted as saying.
The bill is cosponsored by Democrats Ami Bera, Dina Titus, Steve Cohen, Thomas Suozzi, Dave Min, Josh Gottheimer and Brad Sherman, and Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick and Michael Lawler, the press release said.
According to US legislative procedures, the bill will next enter the committee review stage and must pass the House and Senate before it can be signed into law by the president.
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
RECOGNITION: Former Fijian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy serves as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region Taiwan can lead the unification of the Chinese people, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president Lech Walesa said in Taipei yesterday, adding that as the world order is changing, peaceful discussion would find good solutions, and that the use of force and coercion would always fail. Walesa made the remarks during his keynote address at a luncheon of the Yushan Forum in Taipei, titled “Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan’s Values, Technology and Resilience,” organized by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Walesa said that he had been at the forefront of a big peaceful revolution and “if
North Korea tested nuclear-capable rocket launchers, state media reported yesterday, a day after Seoul detected the launch of about 10 ballistic missiles. The test comes after South Korean and US forces launched their springtime military drills, due to run until Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday oversaw the testing of the multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The test involved 12 600mm-caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies, it said. Kim said the drill gave Pyongyang’s enemies, within the 420km striking range, a sense of “uneasiness” and “a deep understanding
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
RSS