For Immediate Release
Washington DC – April 17, 2012
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Members Of Congress Highlight Taiwan Relations Act And Congressional Taiwan Caucus Anniversaries
In commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), U.S. Representatives Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Robert Andrews (D-NJ) inserted remarks into the Congressional Record underscoring the importance of the TRA to the longstanding strategic partnership between the U.S. and Taiwan.
In their “Extensions of Remarks”, the representatives reinforced the notion that both the 1979 TRA and the 1982 Six Assurances to Taiwan form “the cornerstone of our relationship with the people of Taiwan.”
Rep. Andrews added: “The PRC persists in claiming Taiwan as a ‘renegade province,’ refusing to renounce the use of force to prevent formal de jure independence. … The TRA affirmed that the United States’ decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China was based on the expectation that the future of Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means.”
Additionally, Rep. Berkley called attention to the 10th anniversary of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus (CTC). The caucus was founded on April 9, 2001 to act as “a forum to educate members of Congress on issues affecting U.S.-Taiwan Relations, and to provide a platform for exploring ways to positively enhance and strengthen U.S. relations and cooperation with the government and people of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.”
Berkley serves as co-chair of the CTC, which is currently the second largest Congressional country caucus in the House of Representatives.
FAPA President Mark Kao, PhD welcomes the congressional comments, saying: “The TRA and the Six Assurances together enabled Taiwan to develop into a vibrant democracy and making Taiwan a trusted ally for the U.S. in East Asia.”
Dr. Kao continues: “Nevertheless, compared to the vision set out by the original drafters of the TRA, there is significant room for improvement in the way that the law has been implemented by recent U.S. administrations, particularly in light of both Taiwan’s remarkable democratic transition, and the greatly increased military threat that it now faces from China.”
Dr. Kao concludes: “Taiwanese Americans are therefore eagerly anticipating the adoption by Congress of the Taiwan Policy Act in order to strengthen the provisions of the TRA.”
The Taiwan Policy Act, H.R. 2918, was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee last November, and is expected to go for a floor vote in the House in the coming weeks.
眾議員強調台灣關係法及眾議院台灣連線重要性
為紀念台灣關係法通過33周年，內華達州民主黨眾議員柏克萊（Shelley Berkley, D-NV）及紐澤西州民主黨眾議員安德魯（Robert Andrews, D-NJ）在國會記錄發表了延伸發言，強調台灣關係法在美台長期策略夥伴關係中的重要性。
在「延伸發言」中，這兩位眾議員重申，1979年的台灣關係法及1982年的六項保證為與台灣人民關係的基石。
眾議員安德魯補充：「中華人民共和國堅持稱台灣為其『背離的一省』，並拒絕放棄以武力犯台，以避免真正台獨的到來。 ⋯⋯台灣關係法重申美國與中華人民共和國建交的決定，是基於期待台灣的未來將以和平方式決定。」
除此之外，眾議員柏克萊也請大家注目並紀念眾議院台灣連線（CTC）成立十周年。台灣連線於2001年4月9日成立，其「為符合台灣關係法，提供一個能正面影響並加強台美政府及人民之間關係與合作的平台。」
眾議員柏克萊是眾議院台灣連線的共同主席，而這個連線是眾議院目前第二大的國家連線。
台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮歡迎眾議院的發言。他指出：「台灣關係法及六項保證促使台灣發展成為充滿活力的民主國家，並使其成為美國在東亞備受信賴的夥伴。」
他補充：「儘管如此，相較於台灣關係法原本起草者的遠見，最近幾任美國政府在執行該法的效能上，仍有很大的改進空間，尤其針對台灣已成功地轉型成民主國家及其面對來自中國急遽增加的武力威脅。」
他最後指出：「因此，台美人十分期待眾議院通過台灣政策法案，來強化台灣關係法的條例。台灣政策法案(H.R. 2918)，是在去年11月於外交委員會通過，並可能在未來幾周內進行全院表決。」
EXTENSION OF REMARKS COMMEMORATING THE 33rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Since the end of World War II, the United States and Taiwan have fostered a close relationship that has been of enormous strategic and economic benefit to both countries. When the United States shifted diplomatic relations from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China in January 1979, Congress moved quickly to pass the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) to ensure that the United States would continue its robust engagement with Taiwan in the areas of commerce, culture, and security cooperation. With President Carter’s signature on April 10, 1979, this important and lasting piece of legislation became the Law of the Land and served as the statutory basis for U.S.-Taiwan relations going forward.
After 33 years, the TRA still stands as a model of congressional leadership in the history of our foreign relation, and, together with the 1982 “”Six Assurances,”” it remains the cornerstone of a very mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan. Through three decades marked by momentous social, economic, and political transformations, Taiwan has remained a trusted ally of the United States that now shares with us the ideals of freedom, democracy and self-determination.
The foresight of the TRA’s drafters in providing that “the United States will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services…to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,”” and affirming “”the preservation and enhancement of the human rights of all the people on Taiwan”” as explicit objectives of the United States, has contributed in large measure to make Taiwan what it is today—a vibrant, open society governed by democratic institutions.
Though the people of Taiwan now enjoy fundamental human rights and civil liberties, they continue to live day after day under the ominous shadow cast by over 1400 short and medium-range ballistic missiles that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has aimed at them. The PRC persists in claiming Taiwan as a ‘renegade province,’ refusing to renounce the use of force to prevent formal de jure independence, even codifying its right to military action via passage of the so-called “”Anti-Secession Law”” on March 14, 2005. The United States Congress strongly condemned the “”Anti-Secession Law”” in House Concurrent Resolution 98, passed on March 16, 2005.
The TRA affirmed that the United States’ decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China was based on the expectation that the future of Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means. Furthermore, it stipulates that it is the policy of the United States “”to consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means…a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States.”” The unambiguous and principled stance contained in these provisions has been instrumental to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for more than thirty years, in spite of the growing military threat posed by the PRC.
I therefore invite my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the TRA, to further underline our unwavering commitment to the TRA and our support for the strong and deepening relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
EXTENSION OF REMARKS COMMEMORATING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL TAIWAN CAUCUS
Mrs. BERKLEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus.
Founded on April 9, 2001, the caucus was intended to serve as a forum to educate members of Congress on issues affecting U.S.-Taiwan Relations, and to provide a platform for exploring ways to positively enhance and strengthen U.S. relations and cooperation with the government and people of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act. It has grown from 85 members at the time of its establishment to the current roster of 155, making it the second largest country caucus in the House of Representatives.
In the past 10 years, its membership has remained solidly bipartisan, reflecting the broad and stable consensus in the U.S. Congress regarding the importance of Taiwan. Through the issuance of various joint letters, its agenda has focused first and foremost on maintaining faithful adherence to legal obligations and policy principles of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, as well as the 1982 “”Six Assurances”” to Taiwan. Together, these two documents form the cornerstone of our relationship with the people of Taiwan and have contributed immeasurably to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region, while allowing Taiwan to blossom into a vibrant, open society, eager to engage with the rest of the world.
Today, Taiwan is well on the path to becoming a mature and fully consolidated democracy, and our shared values now form an ever stronger foundation of trust for cooperation across our many areas of mutual interest. At the same time, the military threat posed by the People’s Republic of China to Taiwan’s democratic way of life only continues to grow with each passing day.
In the coming 10 years, we hope to forge a stronger consultative role for Congress in the formulation of Taiwan policy. We look forward to working closely with our allies – both abroad and at home – to find solutions for ensuring Taiwan’s long-term security, and to deepen our dialogue with the people of Taiwan.
