The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked two US lawmakers for proposing a resolution urging their country to scrap its “one China” policy and recognize Taiwan as an independent nation.
The concurrent resolution was introduced by US representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, both Republicans.
“Introduction of the legislation coincided with Taiwan’s anniversary of a February 28, 1947 incident, known as the ‘228 Massacre,’ in which thousands of civilians were killed by security forces,” Tiffany said in a press release on Monday, adding that the date is often cited as the event that triggered Taiwan’s democratic transformation.
“For more than 40 years, American presidents of both political parties have repeated Beijing’s bogus lie that Taiwan is part of Communist China — despite the objective reality that it is not,” he said. “It is time to do away with this outdated policy.”
Despite the US’ Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances,” the US lacks formal ties with Taiwan, inexplicably treating Taiwan’s democratically elected government the same way it treats brutal regimes in North Korea and Iran from a diplomatic perspective, he added.
“As an independent nation that proudly collaborates with Taiwan across a wide spectrum of issues, it’s long past time the United States exercised our sovereign right to state what the world knows to be true: Taiwan is an independent country, and has been for over 70 years,” Perry said.
During a news briefing in Taipei yesterday, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) thanked the US lawmakers for their strong support.
Since US President Joe Biden took office, US lawmakers across party lines have expressed support for expanding international participation for Taiwan and deepening its ties with Washington, while the Biden administration has reaffirmed its commitment to Taiwan as “rock solid,” Ou said.
The ministry would watch the resolution’s development, and continue to work with the US to defend democracy and regional stability, she said.
The resolution must be passed in the same form by the US House of Representatives and Senate. It would express the sentiments of both houses and does not require the signature of the US president, but it would not have the force of law.
Source: Taipei Times - 2021/03/03
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