Two US representatives on Thursday reintroduced a resolution calling for the US to end its “one China” policy, resume formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan and negotiate a bilateral Taiwan-US free trade agreement.
Republican US representatives Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th District were backed by 22 Republican members of the US House of Representatives.
The two congressmen first introduced the resolution together in 2021.
Photo: Daniel Slim, AFP
The resolution called on US President Donald Trump to “abandon the antiquated ‘one China’ policy in favor of a policy that recognizes the objective reality that Taiwan is an independent country, not governed by or included within the territory of the People’s Republic of China.”
Trump should also recognize the legitimacy of Taiwan’s democratically elected national government, appoint an official US ambassador to the nation and accept a Taiwanese counterpart in the US, it says.
The resolution also called on the US representative to the UN and other officials to advocate for Taiwan’s membership in the UN and other international bodies of which the US is a member.
The resolution went on to commend Taiwan for its “commitment to democracy, civil liberties and human rights.” It also referenced several former US presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
Taiwan and the US had maintained normal diplomatic relations until “president Carter abruptly abandoned both without the approval of Congress in 1979” and that despite Reagan strengthening ties, “The United States has not altered its position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan,” the resolution says.
Clinton was also quoted in the resolution as having previously declared “that the issues between Beijing and Taiwan must be resolved peacefully and with the assent of the people of Taiwan.”
Both Republican lawmakers have a history of calling for stronger ties with Taiwan. The pair in 2021 recommended that the US support Taiwan’s bid for UN membership.
The US government switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 and has since maintained only unofficial diplomatic relations with Taiwan, as defined by the Taiwan Relations Act.
According to the bill, the “one China” policy is obsolete, does not serve the people of Taiwan or the US and fails to reflect the reality that Taiwan has been a sovereign and independent country for more than 70 years.
If the bill passes the House and the Senate, it would only be a “sense of Congress” resolution. It would not require the US president’s approval and would not have the full force of law.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS