Taiwan Today

The Taiwan Relations Act is the cornerstone of the flourishing partnership with the U.S.

On Dec. 31 last year, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA). In a dedicated section on Taiwan, the legislation states that it is the policy of the U.S. to support the close economic, political and security relationship between the two sides and faithfully enforce all existing commitments consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and the Six Assurances.

According to Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), the signing of this bill holds particular significance as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the TRA. “The TRA is the cornerstone of Taiwan-U.S. ties, helping ensure robust collaboration in a broad spectrum of areas spanning culture, education, investment, security and trade,” he said. “Taiwan is committed to expanding relations across the board and at all levels with the U.S. based on our shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights and rules-based order.”

William Brent Christensen, director of the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), described the TRA as the framework within which Taiwan and the U.S. have built their flourishing friendship and partnership over the past four decades. “It is our guiding compass as we explore new areas for U.S.-Taiwan cooperation.”

Landmark Legislation

Enacted April 10, 1979, after the U.S. switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the TRA authorizes the continuation of substantive relations between the people of the U.S. and the people of Taiwan. In 1982, then U.S. President Ronald Reagan issued the Six Assurances, stipulating that the U.S. would not set a date for termination of arms sales to Taiwan; alter the terms of the TRA; consult with China in advance before making decisions about arms sales to Taiwan; mediate between Taiwan and China; alter its position about the sovereignty of Taiwan or pressure Taiwan to enter into negotiations with China; or formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.

Wu said that the TRA has had a substantial positive impact on the country’s development. “The U.S. security commitment, in particular, serves to not only maintain cross-strait peace and stability, but also create an environment conducive to Taiwan’s democratic and economic progress.”

As Taiwan and the U.S. celebrate the anniversary of this landmark legislation, relations are going from strength to strength across all dimensions. This is highlighted by the announcement of two arms sales packages since 2017, President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) transit stops in Los Angeles and Houston during her state visits to diplomatic allies Paraguay and Belize in August 2018, and the one-on-one meeting between her representative Morris Chang (張忠謀) and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting last November in Papua New Guinea.

Further evidence is provided by several high-profile U.S. bills backing Taiwan. In addition to the ARIA, last year also saw the signing into law of the Taiwan Travel Act. This states that it should be the policy of the U.S. to authorize officials at all levels to visit Taiwan to meet with their counterparts and allow high-level officials from Taiwan to enter the U.S. under conditions showing appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials.

“Over the past four decades throughout different administrations, the U.S. Congress has passed numerous bills and resolutions and taken countless concrete actions to support Taiwan,” Wu said. These measures spotlight the shared and enduring determination to boost ties, he added.

Trusted Friends

Under the TRA framework, Taiwan and the U.S. have achieved consistent progress in deepening interactions. Key to these efforts are AIT and its counterpart Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. The former was established under the TRA to represent U.S. interests in Taiwan and today promotes everything from defense collaboration and educational exchanges to film screenings and trade missions.

“When Congress passed this legislation 40 years ago, it would have been hard to imagine just how dynamic and diverse AIT’s activities would be,” Christensen said. “Looking across the many dimensions of U.S.-Taiwan partnership—protection of intellectual property rights, responsible development of the high-tech industry, environmental stewardship, promotion of democratic values, and women’s economic empowerment, just to name a few—it is evident that AIT plays an indispensable role in facilitating and expanding our cooperation.”

The firm friendship between the two sides is demonstrated by Taiwan’s inclusion in the two flagship U.S. Trusted Traveler Programs, Visa Waiver and Global Entry, in 2012 and 2017, respectively. The former enables citizens of eligible countries to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa, while the latter permits expedited entry. “Both of these Trusted Traveler Programs require high-level law enforcement cooperation and information sharing and are a testament to the robust U.S.-Taiwan relationship,” Christensen said. Since the launch of visa-waiver status, the number of Taiwanese journeying to the U.S. has increased by more than 60 percent and it is now the top long-haul destination for Taiwan travelers, he added.

Fostering multifaceted people-to-people connections is a core focus of both sides. A major effort in this regard is the Fulbright Program overseen by Taipei City-based Foundation for Scholarly Exchange. Since its launch in 1958, it has dispatched more than 1,550 Taiwan scholars, students and young professionals to the U.S. and sponsored about 1,500 U.S. grantees to visit Taiwan.

In 2016, Taiwan was also added to the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program. Each year, about 20 top-performing undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. attend an eight-week intensive Mandarin course and cultural immersion trip organized by the Chinese Language Center of National Cheng Kung University in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City.

Chen Shu-ling (陳淑玲), director of the center, said that this talent cultivation scheme boosts students’ language proficiency while promoting cultural exchanges. “In addition to offering innovative and engaging Mandarin lessons, we arrange for participants to stay with families in Tainan, meet with local students and participate in cultural events and community activities so they gain an in-depth understanding of our society.”

Mutual Benefits

The healthy state of Taiwan-U.S. ties is also underscored by robust economic links. According to the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), in 2017 Taiwan was the U.S.’s 11th largest trading partner globally and fifth in Asia, while the U.S. was Taiwan’s second largest trading partner, as well as third largest export and import market. Statistics from the MOEA’s Investment Commission also showed that the U.S. is Taiwan’s third biggest source of foreign investment, with the accumulated total reaching US$24.2 billion as of November 2018.

Lee Chun (李淳) studies issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and regional trade agreements (RTA) as deputy executive director of the Taiwan WTO and RTA Center at Taipei-based Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research. He said that while the nation’s industrial structure has undergone a major transformation over the past 30 years with companies relocating manufacturing overseas, Taiwan has maintained wide-ranging economic ties with the U.S. “Trade links are characterized by high levels of supply chain integration in critical sectors such as information and communication technology and semiconductors,” he said. “The two sides enjoy a complementary and mutually beneficial economic relationship.”

Going forward, Lee believes that Taiwan should pursue engagement in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy owing to its high degree of overlap with the New Southbound Policy (NSP). A central plank in Tsai’s national development plan, the NSP is enhancing the nation’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade exchanges with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. “As these approaches have similarities in terms of target countries and objectives, cooperation would offer significant advantages for both sides,” he added.

Taiwan’s role in the Indo-Pacific strategy has been repeatedly affirmed by U.S. officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Alex Wong. Speaking at the annual banquet of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei last March, he said Taiwan can no longer be unjustly excluded from the international arena, adding that it has much to contribute in fields like humanitarian aid, public health and sustainable development.

Christensen similarly stated that Taiwan can be a force in advancing the strategy’s three main pillars of economy, security and governance by encouraging private sector investment across the Indo-Pacific, investing in its self-defense capabilities to contribute to regional stability, and serving as a democratic role model. “As new global challenges emerge, we will work together to find innovative solutions and continue to create space for Taiwan to share its experience, expertise and positive example on the world stage,” he said.

Regional Engagement

Joint efforts in spurring regional growth and development are hallmarks of the Taiwan-U.S. partnership as demonstrated by the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF). Since the inception of this initiative in 2015, Taiwan and the U.S. have co-organized 15 international workshops in areas spanning e-commerce, energy, environmental protection, media literacy, public health and women’s empowerment. To date, about 300 representatives from 33 countries have attended these events, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Christensen called the GCTF a window into the shared interests and values between the two sides. It has allowed Taiwan to occupy the international leadership role that it so richly deserves, showcasing the many areas in which it excels like women’s political participation, he said. It also facilitates greater regional collaboration on transnational challenges such as natural disaster response and pandemic disease containment.

Lai I-chung (賴怡忠‬), president of Taipei-headquartered think tank Prospect Foundation, said that such strong U.S. backing is deeply appreciated by the government and the people. The U.S. has consistently offered support in the face of China’s efforts to suppress Taiwan’s international space and advocated its meaningful participation in global agencies like Interpol, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization.

“There is ample room for Taiwan and the U.S. to further expand collaboration for the benefit of both sides, the region and the rest of the world,” Lai said. “The GCTF and the Indo-Pacific strategy are excellent frameworks for enhancing Taiwan’s presence on the international stage and advancing free and open regional development.”

The Next 40 Years

As the TRA turns 40, there is no more prominent symbol of the thriving Taiwan-U.S. partnership than AIT’s new headquarters in Taipei. Inaugurated last June, the US$250 million, state-of-the-art facility spans nearly 15,000 square meters in the city’s Neihu District. High-ranking dignitaries from both sides attended the dedication ceremony, including Tsai, Wu, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce and AIT Chairman James F. Moriarty.

Christensen said the new office evinces the steadfast U.S. commitment to Taiwan as laid out in the TRA. “AIT hopes Taiwan will view this impressive structure as a long-term investment in our collective future. We look forward to moving in and getting to work on the next 40 years of U.S.-Taiwan cooperation.”

Wu also described the new office as a milestone in Taiwan-U.S. ties, adding that the government will work to cement this collaborative partnership under the principles of mutual trust and mutual benefits. “We deeply appreciate U.S. support for Taiwan’s international participation and are dedicated to deepening relations with the U.S. and other like-minded nations so as to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” he said. 

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw