US senators yesterday introduced the Six Assurances to Taiwan Act, a bipartisan bill that would codify six long-standing foreign policy commitments to Taiwan and reinforce congressional oversight to prevent any change in US position without legislative review.
The Six Assurances were made by the administration of former US president Ronald Regan in 1982, following a Communique between the US and China regarding arms sales to Taiwan.
The Six Assurances stipulate that the US would not set a date to end arms sales to Taiwan, change the Taiwan Relations Act, consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan nor act as a mediator between Taiwan and China.
Photo: Reuters
The assurances also say that the US would not formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan nor pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China.
While successive administrations have upheld these assurances and the US Congress has referenced them in legislation, they have never been fully codified into US law.
The bill was introduced to the US Senate by Republican Senator John Curtis and Democrat Senator Jeff Merkley.
The Six Assurances are “six key foreign policy commitments that have underpinned the US-Taiwan relationship for nearly half a century,” they said in a press release yesterday.
The bill strengthens these assurances by requiring that “before any US administration can take action to alter arms sales, revise longstanding policy or pressure Taiwan into negotiations, it must notify Congress and provide a full justification,” the press release said.
US Congress would have up to 60 days to review and could block any action through a joint resolution, it said.
The bill also reaffirms that the Six Assurances are “in the national, economic and security interest of the US and contributes to peace in the Indo-Pacific,” it said.
“Our bipartisan bill codifies a cornerstone of US policy toward Taiwan—ensuring no administration can back away from this commitment behind closed doors—and sends the strong message that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle will not stand for any efforts that undermine this essential partnership,” Merkley said.
Curtis said that this bill simply codifies the US’ longstanding commitment towards Taiwan, “so they carry the full weight of the law.”
“As Beijing escalates its pressure campaign, this is about clarity, deterrence and showing Taiwan that US support is principled, bipartisan and enduring,” Curtis said.
US bills must be approved by the US House of Representatives, then the US Senate and signed by US President Donald Trump before they can become law.
The US House version of the bill was approved by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs in September.
Last month, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said Trump “has said very clearly, we are not changing the ‘one China’ policy, we are going to adhere to the Taiwan Relations Act, the three communiques and the six assurances.”
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