US Government Strongly Opposes Bill on Taiwan

The Clinton administration has said it may veto the so-called Taiwan Security Enhancement Act because it undermines the stability in Asia.

The measure, which will hurt the US-China relations and was strongly condemned by the Chinese government, was approved 341 to 70 in the Republican-led chamber and will go to the Senate.

The legislation would require the US defense secretary to establish direct communication with military forces in Taiwan, increase training operations, allow more Taiwanese military officials to attend US military academies and require annual Pentagon reports on threats to Taiwan's security.

In a statement earlier in the day, the White House said it "strongly opposes" the measure because it "would seriously diminish Taiwan's security and undermine the important US objective of stability in Asia."

"This bill would mandate a number of new security and military arrangements with Taiwan that could create dangerous, false and inaccurate expectations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," said the statement.

"Movement toward a more formal military relationship (with Taiwan) also could have other serious unintended negative consequences," it added.

If the bill were also passed by the Senate and sent to President Clinton in its present form, his senior advisers would recommend that it be vetoed, said the statement.

Several provisions in the bill, the statement added, "interfere with the president's broad authority to control the disclosure of information about foreign negotiations an other sensitive national security and foreign relations information."

The bill also interfere with the president's "authority" and "ability" to carry out his responsibilities for the conduct of the nation's foreign relations.


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