Seven US senators on Thursday introduced a bill to require a report on establishing a US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) preclearance facility at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to expedite travel to the US.
US Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Taiwan Preclearance Act with US senators John Cornyn, Rick Scott, Tommy Tuberville, Mike Braun, Thom Tillis and Cindy Hyde-Smith, all from the Republican Party, as cosponsors.
US House Representative Kat Cammack is introducing companion legislation in the US House of Representatives.
Photo: Bloomberg
The Senate bill would require the secretary of homeland security to submit a report 180 days after the enactment of the act to describe the plan and analyze the feasibility and advisability for the establishment of the program.
The US Department of Homeland Security would also need to assess the effects such a program would have on Taiwan-US trade, the US tourism industry, potential market access to the Indo-Pacific region and collaboration between governments in Taiwan.
A preclearance program at Taoyuan airport would signal Taiwan’s importance to the US and compliance with international aviation rules, the bill says.
“Taiwan is a leading democracy, a vital partner of the United States, and the perfect place for America’s first preclearance facility in the Indo-Pacific,” Hawley said in a statement, adding that the act would strengthen Taiwan-US relations and help maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
By conducting immigration and customs screening at the point of departure, “a preclearance facility in Taiwan would facilitate travel in a major transit point in Asia and help the US prevent inadmissible travelers before they even board the plane,” Tuberville said.
Braun added that Taiwan is an excellent choice for the next CBP program, which would bolster the Taiwan-US alliance through trade, tourism and business.
All of the preclearance facilities abroad are located in North America, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East, including Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, with more than 600 officers stationed at 16 locations, according to the CBP Web site.
In 2012, Taiwan was added to the US Visa Waiver Program, which allows Taiwanese passport holders to enter and remain in the US for up to 90 days without a prior visa application.
In 2017, Taiwan became eligible for the US’ Global Entry Program, which expedites customs clearance.
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
EVA Airways, one of the leading international carriers in Taiwan, yesterday said that it was investigating reports that a cabin crew manager had ignored the condition of a sick flight attendant, who died on Saturday. The airline made the statement in response to a post circulating on social media that said that the flight attendant on an outbound flight was feeling sick and notified the cabin crew manager. Although the flight attendant grew increasingly ill on the return flight, the manager did not contact Medlink — a system that connects the aircraft to doctors on the ground for treatment advice during medical
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
RSS