HOUSTON / ATLANTA / MONROVIA
HOUSTON / ATLANTA / MONROVIA
by Director-General Yvonne Yi-Fang Hsiao
It has been 45 years since the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) was passed, and the landmark legislation remains an enduring foundation for robust mutually beneficial relations between Taiwan and the United States. Demonstrating bipartisan, principled and rock-solid US commitment to Taiwan, the TRA has facilitated Taiwan-US exchanges in business, education, and other areas for decades and continues to support Taiwan in its role as a beacon of democracy, a dynamic economy, and a technological powerhouse.
Signed by the US Congress in 1979, the TRA was described by the late Congressman Lester Wolff (a principal author of the legislation) as, “a device to enhance peace in the region and protect the political integrity of a people’s right to choose. Those people are the people of Taiwan.” Along with the Six Assurances, the TRA helps inform the shape and nature of Taiwan-related policies in the United States.
US-Taiwan relations continue to grow closer and deeper. The US Congress has passed many Taiwan-focused pieces of legislation since 2016, such as the Asian Reassurance Initiative Act, the TAIPEI Act, and the Taiwan Travel Act, reflecting the thriving ties of friendship and productivity between Taiwan and the US. Economic relations and exchanges have progressed through negotiations on the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade, which aims to enhance trade and investment between the two countries.
The 118th Congress has continued to express strong bipartisan support over the past four years through legislation, arms sales, public statements, and leading delegations to Taiwan.
The lasting impact of the TRA is best seen in the dynamic cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the United States. Through mechanisms like the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and the US-Taiwan Education Initiative signed in 2020, the US affirms to the international community that Taiwan is a trusted partner with much to offer and contribute to global efforts.
Taiwan Can Help the international community tackle global challenges, which is why the US has maintained steadfast support for Taiwan’s international participation in organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Interpol, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and other organizations in the UN system. US officials have also rejected to the People’s Republic of China’s spurious distortion of UN Resolution 2758 and drawn attention to the fact that the resolution does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system.
Taiwan, one of the freest countries in the world, will continue working with the United States, allies, and other like-minded countries in areas of mutual interests such as democratic governance, climate change and sustainable development goals, public health, and global security.
Under the TRA framework, Taiwan and the US have achieved consistent progress in deepening interactions and expanding robust economic ties. The COVID-19 pandemic showed how disrupting global supply chains can stall out production and other economic activity, and the increasing use of economic coercion by authoritarian states like China remains a pressing issue to rules-based order and the free market.
Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is vital to the US-Taiwan partnership and a healthy global economy. In addition to enhancing its national defense capabilities, Taiwan is focused on the development of the Five Trusted Industry Sectors—semiconductors, AI, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications—to not only strengthen Taiwan’s key position in global supply chains and forge closer ties with democratic partners but also boost Taiwan’s competitiveness across all sectors. These areas align well with US interests and industry, and Taiwan and the US have worked together in recent years to improve the resilience of high-tech supply chains by encouraging international education cooperation exchanges and bilateral investment.
The economic partnership between Taiwan and the US is critical to both sides. Taiwan serves as the United States’ eighth largest trading partner, and US investment has been beneficial to Taiwan’s growth into one of the world’s top 20 economies. The high level of trust between the two countries, made possible by the TRA and longtime US support for Taiwan, allows for close cooperation now and in the future.
In the 45 years since the Taiwan Relations Act was passed, the world has seen economic and political shifts that have changed the international landscape. The TRA has proven to be a sturdy foundation for the US-Taiwan partnership and will continue to support the vibrant friendship between the US and Taiwan in the years ahead.
11110 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. Ste.218
Houston, TX 77072 USA
Phone: 832-526-3335
Email: Val@IFMagazine.net
_____________________
925B Peachtree Street, NE #392
Atlanta, GA 30309 USA
Phone: 678-612-2192
Email: cblandford@iFmagazine.net
_____________________
13th Street, Sinkor Store 1
Boulevard Palace Hotel
Monrovia, Liberia
Phone: 0886417994
WhatsApp: +231886417994
Snjlaka@iFmagazine.net
©International Focus Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved.
Web design, hosting & maintenance by: CBA Media Group | www.CBAMediaGroup.com
