Washington, Oct. 26 (CNA) The International Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday amended and passed the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (TSEA), aiming at expanding US-Taiwan security ties.
Supporters of the act hoped that it would be debated in the full House and resolved before the next recess.
After two hours of heated debates, the House International Relations Committee passed the TSEA by a margin of 32-6. An earlier proposal to shelve the act was overruled 30-9.
The act was modified considerably from the original bill drafted by Rep. Tom DeLay. The original bill would have authorized the sale of specific weapons to Taiwan.
The amended bill, put forth by the committee's Republican chairman, Representative Benjamin Gilman, keeps provisions calling for Taiwanese military officers to have an increased number of slots at US military training facilities, and for the establishment of direct communications between the armed forces of both countries.
Nearly 40 representatives of the 49-member committee took part in the heated debate before voting for the amendment and passage of the act.
Although most of the members stressed the commitment to Taiwan's security, some representatives questioned the necessity and timing of the bill.
Meanwhile, administrative officials reiterated the State Department's set policy of opposing the act and would not comment on the bill's passage by the committee on Tuesday.
If the TSEA is passed in the full House, it would then be sent to the Senate for debate, House resources said. (By Jay Chen and Deborah Kuo)
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