US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves 'Taiwan Policy Act'... China Strongly Protests

If the Bill Passes, Taiwan Policy Based on 'One China' Is Virtually Abandoned
China Warns of "Serious Consequences"

Taipei street in Taiwan (Photo by EPA Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Boryeong] The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed a bill treating Taiwan as an ally.

According to major foreign media, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Taiwan Policy Act on the afternoon of the 14th (local time).

The Taiwan Policy Act, submitted by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (Democrat, New Jersey) and Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina), was passed with 17 votes in favor and 5 against.

The original bill, submitted in June, designates Taiwan as a non-NATO major ally on the same level as South Korea. It also includes provisions to implement $4.5 billion (approximately 5.8 trillion KRW) in security assistance over the next four years.

The bill also includes sanctions against Chinese officials, including the national chairman, if they act hostile toward Taiwan or pose threats to Taiwan.

Senator Menendez stated at the meeting, "The United States does not seek war or heightened tensions with China," but added, "We must clearly see what we are facing."

If this bill passes, the U.S. Taiwan policy, which is based on the "One China" policy, will effectively be dismantled. Since establishing diplomatic relations with China, the U.S. government has maintained so-called "strategic ambiguity" toward Taiwan.

According to Bloomberg News, the White House is concerned that policy decision-making authority on Taiwan issues could shift to Congress if the bill passes. The White House is reportedly attempting to revise some parts of the bill at the National Security Council (NSC) level.

China strongly opposes the bill. It has warned of "serious consequences" if it becomes law.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, criticized the bill at a regular briefing on the 15th, saying, "It violates the One China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques (including the diplomatic communique), interferes in China's internal affairs, breaches international law and basic norms of international relations, and sends a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence and separatist forces."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.