US Senator Roland Burris yesterday told Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) that one of the main issues delaying the US visa waiver program for Taiwanese was passport authenticity.
Burris, who serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the US Senate, said the extent to which Taiwanese authorities could ascertain the authenticity of Republic of China passports remained a concern.
REVENUE LOSS
According to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), who was present at the meeting, Burris also said that another issue of concern for the US government was that including Taiwan on the visa-free entry program would cause substantial revenue losses for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which collects about NT$600 million (US$18.8 million) a year from Taiwanese.
About one-third of the cost for the construction of new AIT headquarters in Neihu will come from visas, Lin quoted Burris as saying.
ARMS SALES
Asked by reporters after the meeting about the US’ arms sale policy, Burris, who is also a member of the Armed Services Committee, said: “We are working on that.”
“We are discussing all major issues [Wang] has laid out,” he said.
Burris said he supported a visa-waiver program for Taiwanese as well as continued US arms sales to ensure Taiwan can defend itself. He did not specifically mention the F-16C/D aircraft Taiwan has requested for years.
Wang also solicited Burris’ support for Taiwan’s participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization. Burris is a known supporter of observer status for Taiwan at the aviation body.
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