US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi yesterday introduced a bipartisan bill that would make the “six assurances” — a long-standing US foreign policy governing relations with Taiwan — official US law.
The “six assurances” were issued in 1982 by then-US president Ronald Reagan and have been reaffirmed by US presidents and Taiwan-related legislation since, a news release by the US House of Representatives Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said.
Then-head of the American Institute in Taiwan, James Lilley, presented then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) with Reagan’s assurances in a private letter rather than an official government document.
Photo: Reuters
Unlike the Taiwan Relations Act, the “six assurances” have never become an official law dictating US-Taiwan relations and the exact text Lilley delivered has never been found.
The “six assurances” are the following: The US agreed to not set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan, it would not consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan, it would not mediate between either side, would not revise the Taiwan Relations Act, would not change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty and would not pressure Taiwan to negotiate these matters with China.
“Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and a critical partner to the United States, and it deserves clarity and certainty when it comes to our commitments,” Krishnamoorthi said in the news release.
“By codifying the six assurances, this bill sends a clear, bipartisan message: We will stand firm against coercion, support peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and ensure that US policy remains consistent, principled and rooted in law,” Krishnamoorthi added.
The bill is cosponsored by US representatives Gregory Meeks, Zach Nunn, Greg Stanton, Young Kim and Nicole Malliotakis.
To become law, the bill would have to pass the House of Representatives and Senate before being signed by the president.
In August last year, the US Democratic Party for the first time included the “six assurances” in its party platform, committing to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
This bill comes the same day as the committee held a hearing titled “Deterrence Amid Rising Tensions: Preventing CCP Aggression on Taiwan,” which saw two former military officials and a former deputy secretary of state testify regarding rising regional tensions and concerns about US role in a potential conflict.
“A CCP attack on Taiwan would be unacceptable for our prosperity, our security and our values,” Krishnamoorthi said at the hearing.
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