The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which states that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security.
The bill, proposed by Republican Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against.
It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude Beijing from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board.
Photo: Reuters
The bill makes it clear that China must be prepared to face consequences if it engages in conflict with Taiwan, Lucas said.
The House passed similar legislation after Russia invaded Ukraine, communicating to the world that disrupting the international order bears swift and severe consequences, he said.
China has continued its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, and the US must take a more proactive approach to clearly show Beijing that such aggression would not be tolerated, Lucas said.
The US should respond with strength and force if China attempts to invade Taiwan, imposing multiple sanctions and economic penalties, such as excluding China from international organizations, he said.
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, China may not use force, coercion, boycotts or embargoes to force Taiwan to submit to the Chinese Communist Party and become part of “one China,” Republican Representative French Hill said.
The PROTECT Taiwan Act would ensure that China pays a significant economic and diplomatic cost for attempting to invade Taiwan, Hill said.
The bill sends a clear message that the US would not tolerate China’s aggressive actions toward Taiwan, he said.
“The Chinese Communist Party shouldn’t benefit from global systems if it threatens its neighbors,” Democratic Representative Greg Stanton wrote on X after voting for the bill.
“I voted for the bipartisan PROTECT Taiwan Act to push for China’s removal from major international orgs if it ever poses an immediate threat to Taiwan,” Stanton wrote.
“America must be firm, consistent, & focused on maintaining peace in the region,” he added.
The PROTECT Taiwan Act must be passed by the US Senate and then signed into law by the US president to take effect.
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) fraud conviction and prison sentence were yesterday overturned by a Hong Kong court, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge. Judges Jeremy Poon (潘兆初), Anthea Pang (彭寶琴) and Derek Pang (彭偉昌) said in the judgement that they allowed the appeal from Lai, and another defendant in the case, to proceed, as a lower court judge had “erred.” “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences,” the judges
RSS