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On June
7, 1999 Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Rep. Peter Deutsch
(D-FL) issued a Dear Colleague letter urging all their fellow
Members of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor the
Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (HR1838). This is the text
of the letter:
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Congress
of the United States
WASHINGTON, DC 20515
June 7, 1999
SUPPORT TAIWAN's DEFENSE
CO-SPONSOR HR 1838
THE TAIWAN SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT
Dear Colleague:
The threat to the Taiwanese people from the People's republic
of China is on the rise. With Hong Kong's reabsorption into
China almost complete and the handover of Macau scheduled
for this December is now turning its attention to another
of its ultimate goals: the reunification of Taiwan.
One lever Beijing uses in pursuit of this goal is intimidation.
According to the Pentagon's report to Congress this year,
China is engaged in a major buildup of ballistic missiles
on its coast directly across the strait from Taiwan. The
report also describes other aspects of China's military
buildup, including the purchase or indigenous development
of advanced jet fighters, warships, submarines, cruise missiles
and other hardware, coupled with increased efforts to improve
China's logistical capabilities for a Taiwan invasion scenario.
Beijing is simultaneously increasing pressure on the U.S.
to limit or crease our sales to Taiwan of defensive weaponry.
Obviously, this is precisely the time to do the opposite
and remain steadfast by continuing to meet our obligations
under the Taiwan Relations Act - in which the U.S. promised
to provide Taiwan with the means to maintain a sufficient
self-defense capability- in order to maintain a balance
of power in the region.
It is important now that Congress review America's defense
relationship with Taiwan and the virtual isolation Taiwan's
military has operated in for almost twenty years. The Cold
War-era policies of not conducting exercises with Taiwan,
not having direct communications with Taiwan's military,
and prohibiting U.S. flag officers from visiting Taiwan
need to be re-examined as well in light of China's cross-strait
build-up and other military endeavors.
Toward this end, we introduced the Taiwan Security Enhancement
Act (H.r.1838) with International Relations Committee Chairman
Ben Gilman and other members on May 18th. The bill has three
main thrusts:
(1) Ensuring that Taiwan has the necessary equipment to
maintain its self-defense capabilities - as promised under
the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 - by authorizing the sale
to Taiwan of a broad array of equipment and defensive weapons;
(2) Bolstering the process for such defense sales to Taiwan
by prohibiting politically motivated reductions in arms
sales, requiring an increase in staffing at the currently
overworked technical section at the American Institute in
Taiwan, and requiring an annual Presidential report to congress
on Taiwan's defense needs;
(3) Redressing deficiencies in Taiwan's readiness by supporting
increased Taiwanese participation at U.S. defense colleges,
expanded military exchanges and joint training and establishing
direct communications between our militaries.
If you have questions or would like to cosponsor, please
call John Mashburn at 5-0197 or Beth Tritter at 5-7931.
Sincerely yours,
Tom Delay
Peter Deutch
Tom Delay
Peter Deutsch
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According to FAPA president Dr. Wen-yen Chen: "We are grateful
of the outspoken support of Congressional leaders with this
subject. Although several requests which have been brought
forward in the bill have already been honored -such as communication
systems and early warning systems- it is adamant that the
rest of the requests as brought forward in the bill are
honored as well as consistent with the TRA. Timely passage
of the bill will restore the balance of power in the Taiwan
Strait."
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