The Taiwan Relations Act at 30: Examining the human rights angle and other important developments in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship • April 10, 2009
Date:
Friday, April 10
Time:
9:30 AM–11:00 AM
Place:
National Press Club, First Amendment Lounge (13th floor)
529 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 662-7500
[map]
Contact:
Iris Ho
iri...@fapa.org
Hosted by the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, speakers will include:
- Dr. Bob Yang, President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs;
- representatives from the North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association;
- Formosan Association Human Rights;
- World Federation of Taiwanese; and so on.
The month of April 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The TRA is most praised for codifying the U.S. commitment to the security and stability in the region. The act also provides a legal framework through which U.S. has helped Taiwan sustain self-defensive capability for the past three decades.
An often overlooked phrase is that the Act reaffirms the objective of the United States to seek “the preservation and enhancement of the human rights of all the people on Taiwan” in Section (2) C.
In light of the fact that Freedom House, Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations issued statements expressing concern following the Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin’s visit to Taiwan last November, over a dozen Taiwanese Americans organizations will examine this often-overlooked human rights angle in the Act. They will also address various important developments in U.S.-Taiwan relations, such as the election last year of the new administrations in Taiwan and in the U.S.
During the press conference, the organizations will issue a joint statement pledging to help Taiwan adhere to the highest standard of human rights and freedom and to urge the Obama administration to accord Taiwan the full international recognition it duly deserves.
