Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

US House includes provisions to help improve Taiwan’s defenses in budget

Taipei Times

US Representative Ed Royce speaks during a hearing with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Wednesday.
Photo: Bloomberg

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed its annual defense spending bill for fiscal year 2019, which includes provisions to help strengthen Taiwan’s military capabilities.

The US$717 billion National Defense Authorization Act cleared the House 351-66.

Diplomatic policy needs explaining

Taipei Times Editorial

Diplomatic work costs money — the government knows it and so does the public. Nevertheless, it is important for the government to draw a clear line between necessary spending and what falls under the dangerous category of “checkbook diplomacy.”

It is no secret that Taiwan’s sensitive international status and limited resources has made it hard for the nation to make new friends and keep its old ones. Beijing’s repeated efforts to flaunt its deep pockets has only made it more difficult.

US defense contractor to open in Taipei

Taipei Times

US-based AMS Group, a provider of technology, equipment and integrated logistics support services, is to open an office in Taipei by the end of this year, senior vice president of global aftermarket Michael Perry said on Monday.

Perry made the remark at an event after a panel discussion on Taiwan-US defense industry cooperation held by the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington.

Rethinking cross-strait strategies

Jack Broome

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force on May 11 again conducted encirclement patrols around Taiwan, the previous time being in December last year. These drills are only the latest act in a period of deteriorating relations between China and Taiwan, in which Chinese military posturing has notably increased.

Last month, China announced plans for live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait, mere hours after having completed the largest naval parade in the country’s history. In addition, the Chinese navy’s sole operational aircraft carrier, the 60,000-tonne Liaoning, has made “routine patrols” past the coast of Taiwan on three separate occasions this year alone.

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