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US caucuses reiterate support for visa program
Staff Writer, with CNA
The Taiwan caucus in both the US Senate and House of Representatives sent letters expressing support for Taiwan’s participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its inclusion in the US visa-waiver program.
In the letters, which gave their congratulations to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on the eve of the Republic of China’s (ROC) Double Ten National Day, the representatives also vowed to follow the Taiwan Relations Act to continue providing arms to Taiwan, to support the nation’s participation in ICAO as well as its inclusion in the US visa-waiver program.
One letter was signed by -senators Robert Menendez and James Inhofe, co-chairs of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, which has 29 members.
Another letter sent to the president’s office was signed by representatives Shelley Berkely, Phil Gingrey, Mario Diaz-Balart and Gerald Connolly, co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, which has 152 members.
Meanwhile, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and US senators Marco Rubio and Maria Cantwell have also sent individual letters to congratulate Ma on the ROC centennial.
Taiwan’s representative office in the US said nearly 40 senators and members of Congress have jointly -released a statement, praising the nation’s economic and political accomplishments and the better relations across the Taiwan Strait.
They also stressed their continual support of US arms sales to Taiwan and its participation in ICAO, which it has yet to join because of Chinese objections.
Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/10/11/2003515466
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