Document: Letter from Sens. Cardin and McCain to White House on Arms Sales to Taiwan

November 30, 2015 2:28 PM

The following is a Nov. 19, 2015 letter from Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) to the White House on arms sales to Taiwan.

Dear President Obama,

America’s long-standing commitment to Taiwan is a multifaceted and bipartisan effort that
includes many components, all of which must be exercised as we seek to support and
safeguard the ability of the people on Taiwan to determine their own future. One critical
component is U.S. security assistance and arms sales to Taiwan to help modernize and build
the capacity of its armed forces. We believe this support must be more robust.

While recent relations between Taiwan and China have been more encouraging, we remain
concerned that China’s ongoing military modernization, and the threat it poses to peace and
security in the Taiwan Strait, is not being adequately addressed. We recognize that a great
deal of bilateral security cooperation is taking place between the United States and Taiwan,
including more than $12 billion worth of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan since the Start of your
administration. These actions have been welcome. However, we are troubled that it has now
been over four years-the longest period since the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 — since the administration has notified Congress of a new arms sale package.

The United States must continue to further our interests in cross-Strait stability-a vital
component of which is arms sales to Taiwan, pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act-even
when doing so brings short-term tensions in our relationship with China. The United States
should develop and implement an ongoing plan for Taiwan’s military modernization.
including how the administration plans to address Taiwan’s legitimate requirement for
additional new manned fighters and submarines and other self-defense articles and services.
Given some of the obstacles with the current approach, we believe that a regular and routine
process for the provision of security assistance to Taiwan is essential.

The United States must continue to further our interests in cross-Strait stability-a vital
component of which is arms sales to Taiwan, pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act-even
when doing so brings short-term tensions in our relationship with China. The United States
should develop and implement an ongoing plan for Taiwan’s military modernization,
including how the administration plans to address Taiwan’s legitimate requirement for
additional new manned fighters and submarines and other self-defense articles and services.
Given some of the obstacles with the current approach, we believe that a regular and routine
process for the provision of security assistance to Taiwan is essential.

Finally, we believe that it is equally important that Taiwan strive to meet President Ma Ying-
jeou’s 2008 commitment to invest at least 3 percent of its annual gross domestic product on
defense. We are increasingly concerned that, absent a change in defense spending. Taiwan’s
military will continue to be under-resourced and unable to make the investments necessary to
maintain a credible deterrent across the strait, especially as its limited defense resources are
increasingly constrained by growing military personnel costs.

Consistent with the requirements of the Taiwan Relations Act, which call for regular
consultations between the Executive Branch and Congress, we look forward to the
opportunity to discuss together how best we can support and strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense
capabilities, including any arms sales under consideration or planned.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Benjamin L. Cardin
United States Senator

[signed]
John McCain
United States Senator

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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