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Taiwan Headlines Wednesday, February 2, 2000

US House passes Taiwan security law

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday (Washington time) to pass the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (TSEA), a controversial law which would expand military ties between Taiwan and the United States.

The bill received the backing of 341 lawmakers, including 140 Democrats and one independent. The TSEA, which requires Senate approval before it can become law, is expected to be put on the back burner until May or June, congressional aides say, so the U.S. can monitor mainland China's behavior in the upcoming months.

Under the provisions of the Act - a watered-down version of the original draft - the U.S. military would train greater numbers of ROC military personnel, and the U.S. government would be required to conduct an annual review of the threat to Taiwan's security posed by mainland China.

According to the New York Times, the provisions of the TSEA "are more symbolic than substantive," but "could have damaging diplomatic consequences with [mainland] China."

Ahead of the vote, officials in Taiwan were welcoming the prospect that the House could pass the measure, despite strong warnings from mainland China against its passage into law. "We welcome the U.S. Congress' concerns for Taiwan's security ¡K the law would absolutely help enhance Taiwan's safety," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Henry Chen said. "It is our hope that the act could be approved by the House and Senate and be supported by the U.S. administration," Chen said.

Senator Jesse Helms first introduced his version of the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act to the Senate on March 24 last year.

Mainland China has been sending out its warnings, predicting serious consequences if the act is signed into law. "It will have very serious consequences to our relationship," Yu Shuning, spokesman for the PRC Embassy in Washington, told a news conference Monday night.

Military analysts in Taiwan believe the passing of the act would be a step in the right direction as Taiwan's defensive needs in many cases are overlooked or brushed aside for political reasons.

The U.S. State Department disagrees, arguing the Taiwan Relations Act already gives Taiwan an adequate supply of defensive weapons systems and opportunity for military exchange.

Local military analysts said that even though mainland China had issued threats, Taiwan had no reason to be overly concerned. "Taiwan is safe. Mainland China will wait and see what happens," said Lin Wen-cheng, a research fellow at the Taiwan Research Institute. But this did not mean that mainland China is not going to put up a fight, Lin said. Mainland China has learned much about applying pressure on the U.S. since 1995, when Washington allowed President Lee Teng-hui to visit his alma mater, Cornell University, Lin added.

Threats to cut military exchanges, protests outside the U.S. embassy in Beijing, refusing to cooperate in the war against drugs, or weapons proliferation were possible retaliatory moves mainland China could consider to pressure the U.S., Lin said. While Taiwan welcomes the act as it would benefit from it, openly supporting the legislation has been tricky, Lin said.

"We are in a dilemma here," Lin said. "We do not want to anger the executive branch but at the same time do not want to ignore Congress' generous efforts." Taiwan does have one hope, Lin pointed out. As it is an election year in the U.S., Taiwan does have a better chance of seeing the act pass, he said. "Politicians want to play hard ball now, because of the elections. This is to Taiwan's advantage," Lin added.