PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS US-TAIWAN MILITARY EXCHANGE LAW|歐巴馬正式簽署 台美軍事交流入法案

On Dec. 23., US President Barack Obama signed the US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. This is the first time since the breaking of diplomatic relations in 1979 that the US has legislated on any kind of military exchanges with Taiwan. In the legislation, the Pentagon can undertake high-level military exchanges with Taiwan to improve military relations and defense cooperation between the US and Taiwan. It is possible under this that Taiwan's Minister of National Defense may make hithertofore impossible visits to the US. Analysts believe that Beijing will respond to this. ==TING SHU-FAN Dir., NCCU Int'l Relations Grad. Inst.== Beijing will be very concerned about this. The development from this is the Beijing will think if the US raises the level of military relations with Taiwan through this legislation, it will think that this relationship may affect things by raising Taiwan's international status, it will see this as a provocation. In the past similar legislation has been proposed in the Senate, but did not pass due to consideration of the relationship with China, it did not pass. This time, at the tail end of the Obama administration the Senate passed the legislation by 92 to 7 votes. How it will be implemented depends on the next US president Donald Trump and his team. Analysts believe that the legislation not only further US-Taiwan relations but will also assist the US in being in the loop on the situation across the Taiwan Strait. ==HUANG KUI-PO Sec-Gen. The Association of Foreign Relations== The most important point it mentions is the exchange of information and analysis, there is also provision for emergency military rescue in contingencies. Although it looks quite soft, from the US point of view it helps it to get a grasp of the Taiwan Strait situation. With the tense situation between the US and China, this will be seen by China as highly antagonistic. The Ministry of National Defense expressed thanks for the legislation and looked forward to the two sides continued cooperation on the existing positive basis, by deepening substantive exchanges and common effort to promote regional peace and stability. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 美國總統、歐巴馬，在23號簽署「2017財政年度國防授權法」，在法案中明訂，應該推動台美之間，「高階軍事將領」及資深、國防官員交流。因此未來，台灣的國防部長，可望能突破「不能訪華府」的限制。 美國當地時間12月23日，總統歐巴馬簽署了「2017財政年度國防授權法」，這是1979年台美斷交以來，美國首度將台美軍事交流列入法條之中，法案中明訂，五角大廈應推動美、台間高階軍事將領及資深國防官員交流，以改進雙方的軍事關係與防務合作，也讓台灣國防部長，未來有機會訪問華府。有學者認為，將會引起北京的高度關切。 ==政大國關研究中心主任 丁樹範== 北京會高度關切 這個事情的發展 第一個 他認為如果 美國提高跟台灣的軍事關係 透過這個法案提高 跟我們的軍事關係的話 他認為這個關係可能會影響 會提升台灣的國際地位 他認為是對他是很大的挑釁 其實，在美國國會過去曾經有類似提案，但因為顧及美中關係，未能於國會通過，這次，在歐巴馬任期尾聲，美國參眾議院高票通過，讓台美軍事交流得以列入法案，未來如何執行，就看美國新任總統川普以及團隊怎麼做，但學者指出，法案簽署不只促進台美軍售交流更為頻繁，也有助於美國掌握台海情勢。 ==對外關係協會秘書長 黃奎博== 他裡面主要提到雙邊交流是 主要在這些情資的交換分析 還有像急難 軍事緊急的救援 雖然看起來比較軟性 但是對於美國來講 確實幫助他更掌握 台海周邊的情勢 在美國跟大陸 關係緊張的情況之下 這樣的動作絕對會被北京視為 是高度敵對性的動作 對於歐巴馬簽署法案，國防部表示感謝，並期待雙方在既有的良好基礎上繼續合作，藉由深化實質交流，共同為促進區域和平與安定而努力。 記者 郭采彥 林國煌 台北報導