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Taiwan appreciates U.S. congressional support for its cause

ROC Central News Agency

2011/06/18 23:01:11

Washington, June 17 (CNA) Taiwan is grateful for all the support voiced by U.S. lawmakers and scholars at a hearing sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on June 16, Taiwan's representative office in the United States said Friday in a statement.

All of the congressional members across party lines and experts on cross-Taiwan Strait affairs present at the "Why Taiwan Matters" hearing unanimously stressed the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) -- the U.S. law regulating relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties -- and rebutted overtures circulating in the Washington policy circles recently that the U.S. should stop arms sales to Taiwan, the statement said.

The participants also called for continued strengthening of U.S. relations with democratic Taiwan based on its own strategic interests and democratic ideals as well as its security commitments to Taiwan, according to the statement.

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who presided over the hearing, dismissed as a "terrible mistake" a suggestion by some in Washington policy circles that the time has come to recognize the reality of a rising China and to cut U.S. ties with Taiwan.

She warned that such a move would have far-reaching ramifications about how U.S. treats its democratic allies.

Ros-Lehtinen further said the U.S. has never wavered in its commitments to Taiwan under the TRA over the past three decades and its assurances of no deadlines for its arms sales to Taiwan.

Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) urged the Obama administration to sell Taiwan F-16 C/D jet fighters as early as possible to update Taiwan's air arsenal and maintain balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait.

All of the four cross-strait affairs experts echoed Connolly's call, saying the U.S. should sell advanced F-16 C/D fighters to help beef up Taiwan's air defense capabilities.

Two Republican House members Dan Burton and Steve Chabot also called for removal of outdated restrictions on engagements with Taiwan and for allowing senior U.S. officials to visit Taipei to enhance mutual understanding. (By Jorge Liu and Sofia Wu) enditem