U.S. lawmakers push to redesign Taiwan's official Embassy in Washington

U.S. lawmakers push to redesign Taiwan’s official Embassy in Washington. 

WASHINGTON: An all-party group comprised of U.S. lawmakers proposed matching legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday. 

It would require that the United States negotiate the change of Taiwan’s official Embassy located in Washington to”the “Taiwan Representative Office,” an action sure to irk China.

The office is now called”the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), its name as the capital city.

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If the laws are passed If they are passed, any change to the name of the office could provide an opportunity for smaller countries to adopt similar measures to enhance interaction with Taiwan that China asserts as their own.

It is also likely to cause a new fracture that could reopen a rift in U.S.-China relations. These are at their lowest in decades, as Washington is seeking to retaliate against what it believes is China’s increasing military and economic pressure.

The United States, like most countries, does not have official relations with the democratically-governed Taiwan; however, it is Taiwan’s most prominent international supporter.

The legislation requires the Secretary of State to “seek to enter into negotiations” with TECRO to rename the office to be”Taiwan Representative Office” or “Taiwan Representative Office.”

Republican Senator Marco Rubio and the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez supported the Senate bill and Republican John Curtis and Democrat Chris Pappas led on the House version.

“The U.S. must make clear that, despite all efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to intimidate and coerce Taiwan, hostile powers have no right to claim sovereignty over democratic countries,” Rubio stated.

Menendez said to Reuters that the bills were in line with the Taiwan Relations Act defining the United States’ unofficial ties with Taiwan and demonstrating Washington’s willingness to allow Taiwan “to determine its future.”

“We must take this step to strengthen our diplomatic partnership with Taiwan and counter China’s repeated attempts to threaten and coerce nations around the globe,” Pappas stated.

The White House and U.S. State Department, and China’s Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for information.

China is opposed to any reference to Taiwan they believe suggests Taiwan is an independent country.

It cut diplomatic ties with Lithuania and demanded that multinationals cut ties with Lithuania after Taiwan established an office in Vilnius in the year 2000. 

It was dubbed the Taiwanese Representative Office. Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania.

Beijing China, which has not given up the use of force to secure the eventual unification of Taiwan, calls Taiwan’s status the most delicate matter in U.S.-China relations and the basis for the relationship with the superpowers.