The U.S. Taiwan Relations Act and 6 Provisions

The "Taiwan Relations Act" contains a series of contents that violate the one-China principle, mainly including:

First, it imposes restrictions on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States: "The United States has decided to The establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan is based on the expectation that Taiwan's future will be determined through peaceful means."

Second, adding the so-called Taiwan security clause makes it legal for the United States to assist in the defense of Taiwan; Article 2(b) of the law states that the United States is seriously concerned about using non-peaceful means, including boycotts or embargoes, to determine Taiwan’s future. any efforts, promising to "provide Taiwan with defensive weapons."

Third, give Taiwan a "country"-like status in the U.S. domestic legal system, saying that when U.S. laws refer to foreign countries, foreign governments or similar entities, they "also apply to Taiwan"; Taiwan's status Not affected by "breaking off diplomatic relations". Fourth, Taiwan’s institutions in the United States enjoy “diplomatic privileges and immunities.”

The background to the promulgation of the "Relations with Taiwan Act" was that the Carter administration at the time agreed to the legitimate demands of the mainland and "severed diplomatic relations, abrogated treaties, and withdrew troops" from the Taiwan authorities, and then restored diplomatic relations since January 1979. normalization. This move was strongly opposed by the anti-Japanese and pro-Chiang Kai-shek forces in the United States. Coupled with the fact that it coincided with the US presidential election, the Communist Party used this matter to violently attack Carter. With the backhand operation of the Taiwan authorities, the "freak" in the history of legislation in the United States emerged.

After the law came into effect, successive U.S. governments and the Taiwan authorities have used it as an excuse to develop relations. The biggest problem with this law is that it interferes with and destroys the effectiveness of the three joint communiqués between China and the United States.

For example, during the Clinton administration, the then US Secretary of State Christopher officially announced for the first time on behalf of the administration that every administration, including this one, has confirmed that the Taiwan Relations Act takes precedence in law. Communique in 1982, the former is US law and the latter is a policy statement. After that, Clinton himself signed the "State Department Authorization Act" of Congress, which also included a congressional statement that the "Taiwan Relations Act" is superior to the "August 17 Communique".

The specific destructiveness of the "Taiwan Relations Act" is reflected in the United States' arms sales to Taiwan, support for the Taiwan authorities to join international organizations, and increased exchanges of visits and contacts between high-level U.S. and Taiwan officials. For example, in terms of arms sales, the US arms sales to Taiwan exceeded US$20 billion in the 1990s. In April 2001, the Bush administration approved an arms sales list with a total price of approximately US$6 billion, and the quality of the weapons sold had already exceeded that of 1982. It has even begun to turn to offensive weapons such as submarines.

It is precisely because of the influence of the "Taiwan Relations Act" that the "Taiwan independence" elements on the island are emboldened and believe that the United States will help Taiwan. Based on this judgment, they have repeatedly made provocations in cross-strait relations in an attempt to seek "independent" status.