(FILE) Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen during a ceremony to commission two Perry-class guided missile frigates from the US into the Taiwan Navy in Tawian.

“We have deepened and expanded our ties with Taiwan over decades to reflect not only the threat Taiwan faces from the PRC, but also the vibrant partnership between the United States and Taiwan,” said Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink.

The United States’ long standing one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances, has promoted peace and prosperity in the region for 45 years, said Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink in recent Congressional testimony.

“The U.S. unofficial relationship with Taiwan, we are confident, is stronger than ever,” said Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink. The 1979 Tawain Relations Act, or TRA, “has given us the tools that we need to pursue our overall objective of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

“Nearly a half century ago, it laid down a marker that the United States would consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means a matter of grave concern. The TRA laid the foundation for the United States to provide Taiwan with the defense articles and services necessary to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, as well as to maintain our own capacity to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion against Taiwan.”

The TRA also astutely anticipated the need to strengthen support for Taiwan, commensurate with the threat that it faces, explained Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink:

“Indeed, in the 45 years since the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act, the PRC threat to Taiwan has indeed increased, and the PRC has never renounced the use of force to unify with Taiwan. In response to this threat, and consistent with our one-China policy, this administration is bolstering Cross-Strait deterrence using the full range of tools at our disposal.”

The United States’ partnership with Taiwan has grown dramatically over the years, said Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink:

“Taiwan is the United States eighth largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods totaling nearly $128 billion in 2023, up from just $9 billion in 1979. … TSMC’s historic $65 billion investment in Arizona is the largest greenfield direct investment project in U.S. history, supported with up to $6.6 billion in direct funding through the Chips act.”

“With the Taiwan Relations Act as a foundational element of our one-China policy,” said Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink, “we have deepened and expanded our ties with Taiwan over decades to reflect not only the threat Taiwan faces from the PRC, but also the vibrant partnership between the United States and Taiwan.”