Contact: Caroline Rabbitt (202) 224-2353
Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on the inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act of his provisions to strengthen ties with Taiwan, including a requirement to reestablish reciprocal and regular ports of call between the U.S. and Taiwanese navies:
"The resumption of ports of call will be a good step in the United States's continuing efforts to strengthen ties with our Taiwanese partners. Further, the National Defense Authorization Act now requires the Department of Defense to include Taiwan in Red Flag military exercises and assist Taiwan's undersea warfare program. Expanding security, trade, and people-to-people contacts with one of Asia's most dynamic free-market democracies will benefit the United States as well as promote stability in the region. Beijing's efforts to pressure and isolate Taipei threaten the peace across the Taiwan Strait, and maintaining that peace demands a firm response from the United States. I will continue to work in the Senate to ensure that U.S. ties to Taiwan remain strong, and that Chinese provocations to the cross-Strait status quo do not go ignored.
"I am grateful to my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee for decisively adopting these provisions, and I especially appreciate the hard work of Senator Cruz to ensure passage of strong Taiwan-related policies."
