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Guest Commentary April 15, 2002
U.S. Must Ensure Taiwan Possesses Capable Military Deterrent
The Honorable Bob Smith
April 10 marked the 23d anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. The Taiwan Relations Act has enabled Taiwan to build successfully a democratically governed society and an economy by which the Taiwanese people prosper.
However, for Taiwan to continue its economic and political development under the ominous threats posed by Communist China, the United States must remain committed to the Taiwan Relations Act. The United States must ensure Taiwan possesses a capable military deterrent until a peaceful settlement of cross-straits relations with the People's Republic of China is realized.
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The United States cannot allow the People's Republic of China to bully Taiwan, as it did during the 1995 Taiwan legislative elections and in the 1996 and 2000 Presidential elections. I am quite pleased to see the Bush administration's strong support for Taiwan. In particular, I was delighted to hear that the Bush administration would do "whatever it takes" to defend Taiwan.
Taiwan has proven itself a worthy friend. Its dedication to democratic freedoms, processes and institutions, attention to human rights, and adherence to rule of law, as well as its words and deeds after the events of September 11, 2001, have helped it gain strong political support in the United States.
We must continue to assist such a worthy friend by honoring the Taiwan Relations Act in its totality and making sure that mainland China does not misunderstand our intention of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Bob Smith, a Republican, is a U.S. Senator from New Hampshire. The above commentary has been adapted from a speech Sen. Smith delivered on the floor of the Senate, April 12, 2002. To contact him, Click Here.
The above column has been distributed by PoliticsOL.com.
