The China Post
Date: May 27, 2017
By: CNA

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill earlier this week to help strengthen security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, including continuing arms sales to Taiwan and expanding military exchanges.

According to the bill proposed by Rep. Mac Thornberry, it is the sense of Congress that the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) “codified the basis for commercial, cultural, and other relations between the United States and Taiwan, and the Six Assurances are an important aspect in guiding bilateral relations.”

The TRA, which was enacted in 1979 after Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, states that the U.S. must “make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”

In accordance with the TRA, the U.S. should provide a timely review of requests for defense articles and defense services that may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, said the section on strengthening Taiwan defense in the proposed bill.    [FULL  STORY]