House Votes to Strengthen Military Ties With Taiwan

The House approved Republican-crafted legislation Tuesday designed to strengthen U.S. military ties with Taiwan, overriding objections by the White House and warnings from China that the move could heighten military tensions between the two Asian rivals.

After setting the measure aside last fall at the Clinton administration’s request, lawmakers Tuesday passed the bill, 341 to 70. The bipartisan majority included 140 Democrats.

The House action drew sharp criticism from Beijing, which has said that enactment of the legislation would “bring about serious damage” to U.S.-Chinese relations and could set off an arms race that would “enhance the chance of military confrontation” between China and Taiwan.

The White House also opposed the measure, raising the possibility that President Clinton might veto the bill if it makes it through the Senate. State Department spokesman James B. Foley said the legislation would “undermine the important U.S. objective of stability in Asia.”

Although the bill seems unlikely to get through the Senate this year, Tuesday’s vote is considered important because of its potential for damaging U.S.-Chinese relations and because of the broad backing the measure received.

Republicans have been hoping to use the bill to pressure the administration into agreeing to sell more arms to Taiwan, which has asked for four U.S.-built Aegis destroyers and a special long-range radar system. The White House so far has been noncommittal on the request.

In a related development certain to make China bristle, Taiwan’s defense minister announced Tuesday that his government plans to build a low-level antimissile shield--using the U.S.-made long-range radar system--to head off an increasing threat from China.

The House-passed legislation--watered down substantially from its original version--is largely symbolic. Unlike an earlier GOP draft, it contains no requirements for the United States to provide Taiwan with advanced high-technology weapons such as missiles and radar systems.

Instead, the bill would renew exchanges between top military officers of the United States and Taiwan, which were halted after Washington in effect canceled diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979, and step up U.S. training of Taiwanese officers.

It also would require the administration to make regular reports to Congress on the military balance between China and Taiwan and to detail American plans to deal with any military crisis that could threaten the government on the island.

Republicans brushed aside warnings that the measure might exacerbate tensions in the region, arguing that the legislation is needed to make clear that the United States still backs Taiwan and to help discourage China from threatening the Taiwanese government.

Given the volatility of the China-Taiwan relationship, “any ambiguity” on the part of the United States would only encourage Beijing to renew its provocations, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) told his colleagues. “American prestige is on the line in the Taiwan Strait.”

China last threatened Taiwan in 1996, when forces of the People’s Liberation Army fired test missiles into the sea near two island ports. The United States quickly dispatched warships to the area, prompting Beijing to back down.

The United States has banned military-to-military exchange programs with Taiwan since 1979, when it adopted a “one China” policy that recognized Beijing as the legitimate government of China and essentially cut off U.S. diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Opponents of the House bill argued that the measure amounts to a needless and provocative slap at China just when the administration is trying to push through legislation to grant normal trade relations to Beijing so China can join the World Trade Organization.

But House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) brushed aside suggestions that passage of the bill might hurt prospects for the trade legislation, saying it would only enable more lawmakers to support the trade bill because it gives them political cover.

“It allows members to say, ‘I made my point about Taiwan’ ” in Tuesday’s vote, Armey said.

Many Democrats are reluctant to vote for the trade measure, citing union claims that competition from China is hurting U.S. workers and complaining that Beijing still has a poor record on human rights issues.

“The consensus is [that] we need to schedule it [the trade bill] as soon as possible,” Armey said. “We do need to do good economic policy before the politics gets too hot and heavy.”