Rep. Chris Smith Urges Secretary Pompeo to Fully Implement the Taiwan Travel Act

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dated September 13, 2018, senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) urged Secretary Pompeo to “fully implement the Taiwan Travel Act to allow regular and high-level exchanges between U.S. and Taiwanese officials.”

The Congressman wrote: “President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent visit to the U.S. represents a welcome development in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. Building on this, I urge you to fully implement the Taiwan Travel Act to allow regular and high-level exchanges between U.S. and Taiwanese officials and work diligently to ensure Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.”

He added: “[T]he State Department should reaffirm the U.S.’s unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, which are foundational to our relations with the Taiwanese people.”

Rep. Smith continued: “China has launched a multi-domain campaign against Taiwan that includes many aggressive and provocative actions, such as the dispatching of warships, bombers, and fighter jets, to encircle the island as well as conducting live-fire military exercises near Taiwan’s waters. Furthermore, in the diplomatic space, China has worked assiduously to cut off Taiwan’s diplomatic partners and block Taiwan from participating in international organizations. Taiwan has a comparative advantage in areas such as global health, and it is a travesty that for no other reason than to assuage China, Taiwan is prohibited by the international community from participating in critical forums such as the World Health Assembly.”

He concluded: “China’s provocations are brazen and the U.S. must publicly protest China’s continued alteration of the status quo in the South China Sea and its multi-pronged effort to threaten and isolate Taiwan.”

FAPA President Mike Kuo states: “Although Taiwanese Americans are grateful and excited about recent implementations of the Taiwan Travel Act, the goalposts should be moved even further. Congressman Smith signaling to fully implement the Taiwan Travel Act, suggesting a visit by President Tsai to Washington, D.C., will be part of that process.”

Mike Kuo concludes: “Recently, several U.S. top officials have expressed their dismay about China altering the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. A clear statement from Secretary of State Pompeo condemning such actions by China, is an idea whose time has come.”

九月十三日，共和黨籍眾院外交小組資深議員史密斯去信向美國國務卿蓬佩奧，呼籲其「徹底執行台灣旅行法，並允許美台高階官員交流」。

眾議員史密斯表示:「近期蔡英文總統出訪美國彰顯美台關係的正向發展。在此之上，我呼籲您徹底執行台灣旅行法，並允許台美高階官員交流，同時努力促成台灣參與聯合國以及其他國際組織。」

史密斯並說:「國務院應表示美國對台灣關係法以及六項保證的堅定支持，該兩項政策為台美關係的重要基礎。」

眾議員史密斯補充道:「中國對台實施多重威脅，其中包含許多挑釁且具侵略性的行動，例如派遣軍艦、轟炸機、和戰機繞台，並在台灣海域附近舉行實彈演習。除此之外，在外交場域中，中國持續破壞台灣與其邦交國關係，並阻止台灣參與國際組織。台灣在國際衛生上有其相對優勢，而只為了討好中國就禁止台灣參與如世界衛生組織的國際社會活動根本不可理喻。」

史密斯議員總結:「中國的挑釁非常大膽，美國應公開抗議中國持續改變南海現狀以及其對台多重威脅、孤立之舉措。」

台灣人公共事務會會長郭正光表示:「即使台美人非常感激近期台灣旅行法的執行並為此感到興奮，這項政策應更進一步履行。眾議員史密斯提出徹底執行台灣旅行法，並建議蔡總統訪問華府，將會是這過程的一部份。」

郭會長總結:「近期許多高階美國官員表示對中國改變台灣海峽的舉措感到失望。國務卿蓬佩奧譴責中國的公開聲明來得正是時候。」