Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and US Representative Michelle Steel yesterday discussed in a teleconference the US’ proposed “Taiwan democracy defense lend-lease act” and further economic collaborations between the two countries.
Ker said that Steel is a long-time supporter of Taiwan and has often urged the administration of US President Joe Biden to guarantee Taiwan’s safety, and praised Taiwan’s COVID-19 pandemic prevention efforts.
The bill, cosponsored by Steel along with US senators Marsha Blackburn and Rick Scott, would authorize the expedited lending or leasing of defense equipment to Taiwan.
Photo: screen grab from Ker Chien-ming’s Facebook account
In addition, the bill would allow the US to send weapons to Taiwan with a proposed 12-year window for repayment for their lending or leasing.
Taiwan thanked Steel and the two other lawmakers for supporting Taiwan, and for stepping outside the traditional “box” of arms sale packages to propose an innovative and meaningful bill, Ker said.
Current arms package processes are extremely complex, and the bill could bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, Ker said, adding that he hoped the bill is supported in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Steel said she hoped the bill could clear Congress soon, adding that she had asked Biden in writing to authorize the Taiwan arms sales package quickly.
Ker told Steel during the call that, faced with Chinese aggression, Taiwan does not seek to escalate the situation nor provoke Beijing.
Still, Taiwan will not back away from defending itself, Ker said, adding: “The Taiwanese people have the confidence and the courage to defend our autonomy,” he added.
Ker and Steel also discussed increased opportunities to collaborate economically.
Steel voiced strong support for signing a US-Taiwan free-trade pact and Taiwan’s inclusion in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Ker thanked Steel for her support and said that Taiwan’s strengths in its economy, trade, science research and development, and industry allow it to contribute to world affairs.
He also asked Steel to call for the US to support Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
A court has approved Kaohsiung prosecutors’ request that two people working for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Dai-hua (林岱樺) be detained, as a probe into two cases allegedly involving her continues. The request was made on Friday, after prosecutors raided Lin’s two offices and the staffers’ residences, and questioned five on suspicion of contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪汙治罪條例). The people included the directors of Lin’s Daliao (大寮) and Linyuan (林園) district offices in Kaohsiung, surnamed Chou (周) and Lin (林) respectively, as well as three other staffers. The prosecutors’ move came after they interrogated Lin Dai-hua on Wednesday. She appeared solemn following
RSS