The US Congress’ long-term bipartisan support for Taiwan will not change regardless of the outcome of the US midterms, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said yesterday.
Although votes are still being counted in some districts, it is apparent that the Republicans would hold a majority in the House of Representatives, while Democrats would control the Senate through US Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote, Department of North American Affairs Deputy Director-General Jason Ma (馬博元) said.
“We are confident that the overall pro-Taiwan sentiment shared by US Congress members will continue regardless of the midterm election results,” Ma said.
Photo: AP
However, Ma said it was sad that some pro-Taiwan US representatives and senators would be leaving Congress next year, including Republican Represenative Steve Chabot, cochair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, who failed to win re-election in Ohio.
Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, cochairman of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, and Democratic Representative Albio Sires, cochair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, are retiring from Congress at the end of this year.
However, the loss of three pro-Taiwan heavyweights in the House and the Senate does not mean the US Congress would be less supportive of Taiwan, Ma said.
US congressional support of Taiwan has been longstanding and bipartisan, he added.
During the ongoing 117th Congress, more than 80 pieces of pro-Taiwan and Taiwan-friendly bills and resolutions have been proposed by members of both parties in both houses, he said.
With the 118th Congress to convene in January, the ministry will continue to develop friendly relationships with US lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to jointly push for the passage of bills and resolutions that can further boost Taiwan-US relations, he added.
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