US House Foreign Affairs Committee introduces own version of Taiwan Policy Act

2022-09-29

The House Foreign Affairs Committee has introduced its own version of the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022. The bill is very similar to the version submitted by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. They both call on the U.S. to offer Taiwan US$6.5 billion in military financing. But only the House version calls for renaming Taiwan’s representative offices in the U.S. In a press release, the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that now was the time to arm Taiwan, before an invasion occurs, not after.

Speaking to U.S. troops stationed in Japan, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated support for Taiwan. Over in the U.S., the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul has introduced its version of the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022. The bill is very similar to the version passed by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. They both call for US$6.5 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan over five years. However, the House version includes two clauses that were deleted from the Senate version, those being to rename Taiwan’s representative offices in the U.S., and to elevate the rank of the U.S. representative to Taiwan with confirmation from the Senate.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP lawmaker
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Congress has stated that it is better to provide the necessary assistance before something happens than after. I think that bills related to Taiwan’s security and to strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense should be able to pass quickly.

Though the two versions of the bill share many similarities, there are some points that the House and Senate will have to negotiate and come to an agreement on. The bill must be sent to the White House and approved by U.S. President Joe Biden before Jan. 3, 2023 so that it can become law. Meanwhile, ties between the U.S. and Taiwan keep growing stronger, with the recent completion of a new Taiwanese defense office in the U.S. inaugurated by Taiwan’s representative to Washington Hsiao Bi-khim. The mission’s logo features elements of both national flags of Taiwan and the U.S.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP lawmaker
The R.O.C. Defense Mission to the U.S.A. is essentially the first point of communication for military exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. That includes training programs for important Taiwanese officials in the U.S.

From the new defense mission building, to the Taiwan policy act, Taiwan and the U.S. are working hard to nurture their relationship.

眾院台灣政策法保留「代表處更名台灣」與「AIT任命比照大使」條文

2022-09-29

美國參議院14號通過台灣政策法，眾議院版本現在也提出，都寫到5年提供台灣65億美元軍援，而參院版刪去的敏感條文，例如駐美代表處更名台灣代表處等等，眾院版也都保留．提出的眾議員麥考爾還強調，提供我們盟友武器，要在入侵發生之前，而非之後。

美國副總統賀錦麗，對駐日美軍發表演說時，重申支持台灣。美國眾議院中國工作小組主席麥考爾，也提出眾院版本的台灣政策法，大致內容與日前參議院通過的版本相同，都提出5年提供台灣65億美元軍援，但參院版拿掉的敏感條文，眾院版大多保留，例如駐美代表處，更名台灣代表處，以及AIT處長任命須比照大使，經參院同意等等。

[[立委(民) 王定宇]]
“美國國會表示，在烏克蘭事件發生之後，與其在事後提供大量協助，不如事前提供必要的協助。相信有關提升台灣安全，強化台灣國防人力的條文，應該可以快速來通過。”

美國參眾兩院都提出台灣政策法，但因為內容有差異，還必須經過協商，達成共識，趕在明年一月前，將最終版本送交白宮簽署通過，正式立法。台美關係持續強化，台灣駐美軍事代表團大樓，也在九月底整建完成，由駐美代表蕭美琴主持揭牌儀式，金字的代表團標誌和我國國旗，相當醒目。

[[立委(民) 王定宇]]
“台灣駐美軍事代表團，可以說是台灣跟美國軍事交流的第一線代表，包含我們台灣的重要人員到美國受訓。”

從軍事代表團大樓翻新，到台灣政策法，台美關係，更加緊密。