For immediate release. April 17, 2000

Support Grows As Feingold & Collins Back TSEA

Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) added their voices of support to the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, in a letter to Majority Leader Senator Trent Lott dated April 10, 2000.

Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) initiated the letter which was also signed by ten other Senators who were already co-sponsors of the TSEA. They joined Feingold and Collins in urging Lott "to take the necessary steps to ascertain support in the Senate for the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act and to call up this legislation at the earliest possible date, before the Senate votes on matters relating to China."

"The addition of another Democratic voice of support for the TSEA is a quantum leap forward," stated Chen Wen-yen, President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs. "FAPA members in Wisconsin have had substantial talks with the Senator and his office and we are greatly encouraged by his stance. Hopefully this will open the door for other Democratic Senators to get behind this important legislation. Senator Collins’ centrist voice is also a great addition to the list and adds to the momentum for the bill."

The Senators’ argued that the U.S. "must bring greater clarity to our relations with Taiwan and China by passing this legislation in the Senate." They point out the growing military imbalance in China’s favor, amply documented by Pentagon reports, and the fact that China has "dramatically lowered its justification for the use of force to include Taiwan’s refusal to negotiate reunification." The Senators underscored their belief that "China’s threats will only increase as Taiwan progresses down the path of democracy."

"Asking that the legislation be considered ‘before the Senate votes on matters relating to China’ is a very forceful statement," Chen Wen-yen stated. "It shows the depth of concern in the Senate over China’s threats to democratic Taiwan, as well as the need to break Taiwan’s military isolation and shore up its deterrence capabilities. Senator Daschle stated on Friday that he thought there was a ‘good deal of opposition’ to the TSEA and that ‘it may be growing.’ This letter shows quite the opposite – opposition to China’s saber rattling is growing as is positive support for Taiwan."

The letter was co-signed by Senators Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), Frank Murkowski (R-AK), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Slade Gorton (R-WA), Mike DeWine

(R-OH), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), James Inhofe (R-OK),

Bob Smith (R-NH), and John Ashcroft (R-MO).

For more information, contact Mike Fonte at FAPA 202-547-3686 and/or visit our web site at www.fapa.org