Taipei, June 16 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday expressed appreciation to U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, for their support of Taiwan.
President Tsai tweeted to say over the past few days, "we've seen U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Tillerson, speak in support of Taiwan Relations Act and Taiwan-U.S. relations."
Tillerson said at a U. S. House committee hearing that while the United States remains committed to its one-China policy, it fully intends to fulfill all commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
The TRA is a U.S. law promulgated in 1979 under which the United States is committed to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons.
President Tsai also expressed appreciation that a bill to encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels of government was passed unanimously by a U.S. House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Thursday, the first step toward it becoming legislation.
The Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific passed the bill backed by Representatives Steve Chabots, Brad Sherman and Ed Royce chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The bill says that since the enactment of the TRA, ties between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions the United States maintains on visits by high ranking officials to Taiwan.
The bill, which seeks to eliminate such restrictions, will now be sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for approval.
The president said that "Taiwan appreciates continued support of friends in U.S., Japan and others," adding that Taiwan will continue to work together for peace and stability in region.
