Taiwan Travel Act

Taiwan Travel Act
Great Seal of the United States
Long title An act to encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial) TTA
Enacted by the 115th United States Congress
Citations
Public law Pub.L. 115–135
Legislative history

The Taiwan Travel Act (H.R. 535, Pub.L. 115–135) is an act of the United States Congress. Passed on February 28, 2018, it was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 16, 2018.[1] As a follow-up to the Taiwan Relations Act, the bill allows high-level officials of the United States to visit Taiwan and vice versa.

Background

When the U.S. established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1979, it also ceased to officially recognize Taiwan but continued to maintain unofficial relations with the island.[2] In the same year, the U.S. enacted the Taiwan Relations Act.[3]

In 2016, the Taiwan Travel Act was introduced to the U.S. Congress by Representative Steve Chabot and Senator Marco Rubio.[4] The bill was considered a follow-up to the Taiwan Relations Act and stated that the U.S. and Taiwan had suffered from insufficient high-level communication since 1979, when the U.S. started to restrict its officials' visits to Taiwan.[3]

In August 2017, Cui Tiankai, the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, sent a letter expressing "grave concern" to leaders of the House and Senate, demanding they block provisions related to Taiwan in the National Defense Authorization Act of that year, which included the Taiwan Travel Act as well as the Taiwan Security Act of 2017.[5]

Legislative history

On October 12, 2017, the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed the bill with no opposition.[6]

In January 2018, the bill was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives.[7] Shortly afterwards, it was also passed unanimously by the Senate on February 28.[1]

Provisions

Provisions of the Taiwan Travel Act state that the U.S. should:[8]

  • Allow officials at all levels of the U.S. government to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts;
  • Allow high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials; and
  • Encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan to conduct business in the United States.

Reaction

Taiwan

In January 2018, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed her gratitude to the U.S. Congress for "supporting Taiwan’s democracy" through her Twitter account, stating she believed the Taiwan Travel Act would "strengthen and enhance the long-standing partnership between the two sides."[9] Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also showed its support for the bill, saying Taiwan was "committed to fostering an upgraded strategic partnership with the U.S."[9]

Mainland China

The Xinhua news agency indicated that China was "strongly dissatisfied" with the bill and said it violated the one-China policy that asserts Taiwan as a province of China.[7]

The Global Times quoted professor Li Haidong at the China Foreign Affairs University that "the U.S.' irresponsible move increas[ed] uncertainty and risks for bilateral ties and revers[ed] the gears of a stable and positive Sino-US relationship."[10] Li also held that the Anti-Secession Law of China could be used to counter Washington's move.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "US Senate passes Taiwan Travel Act". Taipei Times. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Bodeen, Christopher (2 March 2018). "China Lashes Out at U.S. Over Loosening of Taiwan Travel Rules". Associated Press. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 "US House passes Taiwan Travel Act". Taipei Times. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  4. ↑ Tiezzi, Shannon (3 March 2018). "US Paves Way for High-Level Exchanges With Taiwan". The Diplomat. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Rogin, Josh (12 October 2017). "China threatens U.S. Congress for crossing its 'red line' on Taiwan". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Charlotte, Gao (17 October 2017). "China's Lobbying Against the Taiwan Travel Act Backfires". The Diplomat. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  7. 1 2 "US Senate passes Taiwan travel bill slammed by China". Reuters. South China Morning Post. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "S.1051 - Taiwan Travel Act". United States Congress. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  9. 1 2 "MOFA thanks US House for passing two bills supporting Taiwan". Taiwan News. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  10. 1 2 Li, Ruohan (1 March 2018). "China could respond to Taiwan Travel Act with Anti-Secession Law". Global Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
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