Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 15 April, 2019
By: Paula Chao

President Tsai Ing-wen and visiting former US House Speaker Paul Ryan

President Tsai Ing-wen says the Taiwan Relations Act is crucial to Taiwan’s close ties with the United States. Tsai’s was speaking on Monday while receiving a US delegation led by former House Speaker Paul Ryan.

The US delegation is in Taiwan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of not only the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), but also the establishment of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

The US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act on January 1, 1979 to create a legal basis for Washington’s relations with Taipei. That’s after the United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.  The American Institute in Taiwan is the de facto US embassy in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

Tsai said the number of the TRA-related events and discussions both in Taipei and Washington is a testament to the stronger ties between the two sides. She spoke on Monday about the importance of the bill.    [FULL  STORY]