US SENATE COMMITTEE ALLOWS NAVY VESSELS TO REGULARLY DOCK IN TAIWAN PORTS|美參院委員會通過 軍艦可定期停靠台灣

The US Senate Armed Services Committee undertook the review of the US annual defense authorization bill. Part of the content relates to Taiwan, such as US Navy vessels can regularly dock in Taiwan ports, and ROC naval vessels can dock at US Pacific Command ports. The bill also says that the US will assist the Taiwan to develop underwater defense capability. The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration, but most people think that this will lead to dissatisfaction with China, if passed. Earlier this month, the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Asia-Pacific Group, passed a draft law to encourage US and Taiwan officials to make mutual visits. On June 28, the US Senate Military Committee also passed its annual defense authorization bill. This includes allowing the US Navy to use Kaohsiung or other suitable ports in Taiwan and allows the US Pacific Command to accept ROC naval ships to dock at its ports. It also authorises the US to provide Taiwan with technology to assist in the development of domestic underwater defense capability, including missiles and mines, to strengthen long-term partnership and strategic cooperation with Taiwan. ==LIN HE-MING Presidential Office Spokesperson== We thank the US Senate Armed Services Committee for the importance it places on Taiwan's national defense and the Taiwan-US security relationship. We will continue to attach importance to defense investment and strengthen self-defense capability, keep in close contact with the US to ensure regional peace and stability. The Ministry of National Defense said it welcomed exchange and cooperation to benefit national defense and regional stability. Hu Rui-zhou, Deputy Chief Executive of the NCCU Taiwan Security Research Center said that in addition to assisting with military exchanges, this would also help strengthen the ROC's uneven defense capability. ==HU RUI-ZHOU, Dep. C E, NCCU Taiwan Security Research Center== Especially in the case of uneven defense capability, submarines are in fact very important, if they can help with this, then I believe it will be a positive help with our domestic made submarines. The US Senate Military Committee passed the bill and sent it to the House and Senate for review. Former ROC deputy representative to the US and a researcher at Academia Sinica's European Studies Institute, Huang Wei-feng said that whether the US White House will actually implement the content remains to be seen. ==HUANG WEI-FENG Researcher, Academia Sinica's European Studies Institute == They will look at the overall considerations, including the relationship between the United States and China, the relationship between the United States and North Korea and the situation in the South China Sea, then make the decision on how, or whether, to implement the content. If the policy is approved by the US Congress, it would be the first major change in US policy in nearly 40 years. However, Huang said that the US administration's response will depend on its assessment of China's dissatisfaction with the content, and the North Korean issue. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 美國參議院軍事委員會，審查美國年度國防授權法案，部份通過內容和台灣有關，包括美國海軍軍艦，可以定期性停靠台灣港口，我軍艦可以停靠美國太平洋司令部港口，並協助我國發展水下戰力，本案未來將送參眾兩院審議，不過各界大多認為，這將引發中國不滿，未來參眾兩院如果通過後，美國政府會如何回應將是觀察重點。 繼美國眾議院外交委員會亞太小組，本月通過台灣旅行法草案，鼓勵美國和台灣官員互訪，美國參議院軍事委員會也在當地時間28日通過美國年度國防授權法案，其中和台灣有關的內容包括美國海軍可重新定期性停靠高雄或台灣其他適合的港口，允許美國太平洋司令接受台灣船隻停靠，並提供台灣科技協助發展國造水下作戰能力，包括運載工具及水雷。還有加強與台灣的長期夥伴關係與戰略合作。 ==總統府發言人 林鶴明== 我們感謝美國國會的軍事委員會 對台灣國防安全 還有這個台美安全關係的重視 我們會持續的重視國防投資 也會強化自我防衛能力 並與美國的友人保持密切的溝通 以確保區域的和平與穩定 國防部也發表聲明表示，凡有利於我國國防安全及區域穩定之交流合作，國防部表示歡迎並樂觀其成。軍方少將退役的政大台灣安全研究中心副執行長胡瑞舟表示，相關內容除了有助兩國軍事交流，也可協助我國強化不對稱戰力。 ==政大台灣安全研究中心副執行長 胡瑞舟== 尤其是在不對稱作戰的時候 潛艇事實上是非常重要的 這上面能夠協助的話 那麼我相信對於我們 潛艦國造的政策的話 應該是有正面的幫助的 美國參議院軍事委員會通過這項法案後，還要送交參眾兩院審查，曾任駐美副代表的中研院歐美所副研究員黃偉峰表示，最後美國白宮是否會落實內容還有待觀察。 ==中研院歐美所副研究員 黃偉峰== 包括現在美國跟中國之間的關係 美國跟北韓之間的關係 或是在北韓局勢 南海局勢 他們會審視通盤去考量 那麼才做成決定說 到底怎麼樣去執行這樣的決議 若這項新政策獲得美國國會批准，將是美國「一中政策」近40年來的重大變動。不過，黃偉峰認為這項法案勢必引發中國不滿，加上北韓議題正在延燒，美國行政部門如何回應將是關鍵。 記者 張志雄 陳信隆 台北報導