MOFA celebrates 45th anniversary of Taiwan Relations Act

2024/04/12

United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell’s recent reiteration of the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act is highly appreciated by the government and people of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said April 10 in Taipei City.

The date marked the 45th anniversary of the TRA which has served since 1979 as a cornerstone for Taiwan-U.S. relations, and together with the Six Assurances, provides guidance for the formulation and development of U.S. policy toward Taiwan. It is vital to the security, peace, stability and prosperity of Taiwan and the region.

The TRA demonstrates the U.S. bipartisan, principled commitment to Taiwan by promoting commercial, cultural and other exchanges between the countries. The U.S. supports Taiwan as a beacon of democracy, a vigorous economic entity and an important hub for scientific and technological development. 

Taiwan-US relations have built on this solid foundation, becoming key security and economic partners and working with other like-minded countries to promote freedom and prosperity. The MOFA thanked the U.S. executive branch and Congress for action implementing commitments to Taiwan, such as strengthening self-defense capabilities and support for international participation. 

Since President Biden’s administration took office, there have been 13 announcements of arms sales to Taiwan. U.S. senior officials have also issued statements and taken action evidencing the importance attached to peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, such as dispatching naval vessels to sail the passage.

There have been innovations to support Taiwan security, including the first separately designated U.S. government military aid budget for Taiwan and the first time the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) measures have been utilized to accelerate military aid to Taiwan. President Biden also used the State of the Union Address to emphasize that the U.S will support peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Apart from defense support, the U.S. has offered strong trade and economic measures, most recently in the form of the 21st Century Taiwan-U.S. Trade Initiative. This is the largest and most comprehensive trade negotiation between Taiwan and the U.S. since 1979 and is also the only such agreement with a foreign country signed by the Biden administration to date. 

In other affirmations of support, senior US officials expressed their congratulations after the presidential election this year and a bipartisan delegation visited; the leadership of key committees such as foreign affairs, military affairs, the co-chairs of the House of Representatives' Congressional Taiwan Caucus and the chair of the House of Representatives' special committee have also organized top-level visiting delegations.

The current U.S. Congress has continued to show strong support, with members taking concrete action including legislation, speeches, and joint letters. The number of bills proposed that include content friendly to Taiwan is unprecedented, demonstrating the firm cross-party support for the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to uphold the principles of mutual trust and reciprocity to deepen all-round close partnership with the United States. The two countries will jointly defend rules-based international order and actively maintain peace, stability and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the region. 


Source: Noticias de Taiwan (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)