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Democrats and Republicans Unite Against the Obama Administration on Taiwan

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Yesterday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R–FL) held the second hearing in the two-part “Why Taiwan Still Matters” series. These hearings, the first full committee hearings on Taiwan in 25 years, are a laudable step toward reminding the Obama Administration of Taiwan’s value as a partner and the American obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).

Recent steps taken by the Obama Administration have threatened to diminish that relationship. Most notably, the Administration denied Taiwan’s longstanding request for 66 F-16C/Ds, opting instead to retrofit and upgrade Taiwan’s aging fleet of 145 F-16A/B. The decision not to sell new fighter aircraft has elicited widespread, bipartisan condemnation from Capitol Hill.

Against this backdrop, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Peter Lavoy were summoned to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Tuesday to report on U.S.–Taiwan relations and answer for the Obama Administration’s shortsighted decision on F-16 sales.

Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen set the tone in her opening remark by reminding the witnesses that “any cozying up to Beijing with a wink and a nod on Taiwan arms sales is a clear violation of President Reagan’s ‘Six Assurances’” to Taiwan. She also questioned the Obama Administration’s commitment to upholding the TRA. Both Democrat and Republican members echoed her sentiments in their opening statements.

Here are some of the key highlights from the hearing.

Campbell and Lavoy should be commended for expressing support for both Taiwan’s acceptance into the Visa Waiver Program and increased bilateral trade and investment. But the best opportunity for lasting cross-straits peace will come when Taiwan can engage China from a position of strength, which it can attain only through active, substantive U.S. support. As stipulated by law, the U.S. must not waver in this regard.

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