The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) affirms Taiwan’s strategic importance and the US’ longstanding commitment to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a post on social media yesterday commemorating the 47th anniversary of the act.
Signed on April 10, 1979, the act was intended to maintain and regulate bilateral ties between the Republic of China and the US following Washington’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“It is the policy of the United States ... to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character” and “to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan,” the act says.
Photo from the AIT’s Facebook
Over the past 47 years, the “TRA, together with the Three Communiques and the Six Assurances, has helped preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the AIT said.
It “has enabled the stunning evolution of Taiwan’s democracy, economy, and social system into the envy of the world,” it said.
The US remains committed to upholding the objectives set by the Taiwan Relations Act, upholding regional peace and security, and fostering prosperity, the AIT said.
Efforts to deepen collaborations with Taiwan in security, the economy, technology and people-to-people ties would continue, it added.
President William Lai (賴清德), in a separate post commemorating the anniversary, said that the act, together with the “six assurances,” stands as proof of the two nations’ continuing friendship.
The relationship reflects a shared commitment to democratic values, freedom and human rights, and serves as a cornerstone of stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, Lai said.
US congressional support for Taiwan’s security and well-being is bipartisan and one of the strongest areas of consensus in Washington, he said, adding that the world knows that protecting Taiwan is key to protecting freedom and democracy.
The Three Joint Communiques, signed in 1972, 1979 and 1982, broadly affirm US “acknowledgment” of Beijing’s “one China” policy and recognize the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China.
The “six assurances” are: The US has not agreed to set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan; it has not agreed to consult with the PRC on arms sales to Taiwan; it will not play any mediation role between Taipei and Beijing; it has not agreed to revise the Taiwan Relations Act; it has not altered its position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan; and it will not exert pressure on Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the PRC.
Additional reporting by Su Yung-yao and Sam Garcia
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