Twenty-four Republican members of the US House of Representatives yesterday introduced a concurrent resolution calling on the US government to abolish the “one China” policy and restore formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Led by US representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, the resolution calls for not only re-establishing formal relations, but also urges the US Trade Representative to negotiate a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan and for US officials to advocate for Taiwan’s full membership in the UN and other international organizations.
In a news release announcing the resolution, Tiffany, who represents a Wisconsin district, called the “one China” policy “outdated, counterproductive and dishonest.”
Photo: AFP
The US “inexplicably” treats Taiwan’s democratically elected government “the same way it treats brutal regimes in North Korea and Iran,” the news release said.
Taiwan’s diplomatic, cultural and economic links around the world demonstrate its “clear and indisputable independence from the People’s Republic of China,” the resolution says.
The “so-called ‘one China policy’ is obsolete, does not serve the people of Taiwan or the US, and fails to reflect the obvious reality” of Taiwan’s independence, the resolution adds.
The resolution cites previous statements and legislation, such as the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and then-US president Ronald Reagan’s “six assurances” as well as arms sales and the Taiwan Travel Act to demonstrate that Taiwan is a “steadfast” ally of the US.
In addition to calling for an FTA and Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations, the resolution also suggests sending a US ambassador to Taiwan and receiving a Taiwanese ambassador to the US, and rescinding guidelines on interactions between officials in both countries.
A resolution, unlike a bill, is not presented to the president for action and is not a law, but serves to express the US Congress’ position on an issue.
A concurrent resolution requires approval from both the US House of Representatives and the Senate.
It comes just two days after a bill, led by US representatives Young Kim and Al Green, was introduced to the House of Representatives calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in the IMF.
More than half of the bamboo vipers captured in Tainan in the past few years were found in the city’s Sinhua District (新化), while other districts had smaller catches or none at all. Every year, Tainan captures about 6,000 snakes which have made their way into people’s homes. Of the six major venomous snakes in Taiwan, the cobra, the many-banded krait, the brown-spotted pit viper and the bamboo viper are the most frequently captured. The high concentration of bamboo vipers captured in Sinhua District is puzzling. Tainan Agriculture Bureau Forestry and Nature Conservation Division head Chu Chien-ming (朱健明) earlier this week said that the
NAMING SPAT: The foreign ministry called on Denmark to propose an acceptable solution to the erroneous nationality used for Taiwanese on residence permits Taiwan has revoked some privileges for Danish diplomatic staff over a Danish permit that lists “Taiwan” as “China,” Eric Huang (黃鈞耀), head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of European Affairs, told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Reporters asked Huang whether the Danish government had responded to the ministry’s request that it correct the nationality on Danish residence permits of Taiwanese, which has been listed as “China” since 2024. Taiwan’s representative office in Denmark continues to communicate with the Danish government, and the ministry has revoked some privileges previously granted to Danish representatives in Taiwan and would continue to review
The first bluefin tuna of the season, brought to shore in Pingtung County and weighing 190kg, was yesterday auctioned for NT$10,600 (US$333.5) per kilogram, setting a record high for the local market. The auction was held at the fish market in Donggang Fishing Harbor, where the Siaoliouciou Island-registered fishing vessel Fu Yu Ching No. 2 delivered the “Pingtung First Tuna” it had caught for bidding. Bidding was intense, and the tuna was ultimately jointly purchased by a local restaurant and a local company for NT$10,600 per kilogram — NT$300 ,more than last year — for a total of NT$2.014 million. The 67-year-old skipper
China has reserved offshore airspace over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, issuing alerts that are usually used to warn of military exercises, although no such exercises have been announced, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sunday. Reserving such a large area for 40 days without explanation is an “unusual step,” as military exercises normally only last a few days, the paper said. The alerts, known as notice to air missions (NOTAMs), “are intended to inform pilots and aviation authorities of temporary airspace hazards or restrictions,” the article said. The airspace reserved in the alert
RSS