The Dec. 21 passage by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 is deeply appreciated by the government and people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The bill contains the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020, which advocates regular sales and transfer of defense articles to Taiwan and its meaningful participation in global bodies such as the International Criminal Police Organization, as well as the U.N. and its specialized agencies like the International Civil Aviation Organization and World Health Organization.
Sponsored by a group of lawmakers led by Sen. Tom Cotton, Rep. Eliot Engel and Rep. Michael McCaul, TAA 2020 reflects strong bipartisan support in Washington for Taiwan-U.S. relations, the MOFA said.
The legislation also directs the Department of State to review its guidance governing relations with Taiwan and submit a report to Congress, including the implementation results of the Taiwan Travel Act.
In addition, the bill allocates US$3 million to support the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, which was launched in 2015 by the two sides as a platform to promote clean energy, disaster relief and prevention, good governance, law enforcement, public health and women’s empowerment in the Indo-Pacific.
According to the act, Taiwan is a vital part of the U.S. Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, with its security and democracy key to continued peace and stability in the region and also in the political, security and economic interests of the U.S.
Building on this strong foundation, the MOFA said Taiwan will continue to deepen its cooperation and partnership with the U.S. across the board under the principles of mutual trust and mutual benefits. (SFC-E)
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