US President Donald Trump has yet to decide whether to veto or sign into law the Taiwan Travel Act, which would promote meetings and visits between high-ranking US and Taiwanese officials, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Thursday.
“The final decision hasn’t been made — we’ll keep you guys posted,” Huckabee Sanders told a news briefing in response to a question on Trump’s plan as yesterday’s deadline approached.
The bill was presented to Trump on March 5, after clearing the US House of Representatives on Jan. 9 and the US Senate on Feb. 28, US congressional records showed.
Based on US legislative rules, it would become law as soon as it is signed by the president or automatically become law after 10 days, excluding Sundays, if he does not sign.
The bill would be struck down only if Trump vetoes it, but analysts say the chances of that are slim, given that it was passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House.
Separately, US Pacific Command (UPSACOM) head Admiral Harry Harris Jr on Thursday said that the command would continue to support Taiwan’s efforts to increase its self-defense capabilities through regular arms sales and military training.
Harris told the US Senate Armed Services Committee about the ever-growing importance of Taiwan’s defense capabilities in the face of China’s growing military spending and capabilities.
In line with the Taiwan Relations Act, “UPSACOM will continue supporting Taiwan’s efforts to develop a credible, resilient and cost-effective deterrent and self-defense capability,” he said, emphasizing regular arms sales and training for Taiwan’s military.
Harris urged the US to continue helping Taiwan enhance its defense capabilities, while showing resolve that “any attempt by China to force reunification on the people of Taiwan is unacceptable.”
He listed recent sales of a number of weapons, including anti-ballistic missiles, anti-aircraft weapons and surveillance radar, as helping to increase Taiwan’s defense capabilities.
In addition, Taiwan and the US have made it clear since Trump’s inauguration last year that they are interested in maintaining regular arm sales, he added.
Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) on the same day reiterated the nation’s interest in buying F-35 jets from the US.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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