TAIPEI: Taiwan authorities made huge “donations” to the United States in order to promote the passage of the Taipei Act, which aims to prop up the presence of Taiwan island through measures, including a large number of arms-purchase rebates and budgets involving millions of tax-free allowances. US President Donald Trump signed into law the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act of 2019 on March 26, under which the US government is legitimately seeking to establish a diplomatic presence for the island and help Taiwan island gain participation in international organizations as well as level up its economic ties with the island. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council opposed and condemned the bill, saying it interferes in China’s internal affairs and seriously violates the one-China principle and provisions of the three joint communiques between China and the US. A source told the Global Times that to achieve its goal of passing the act in the US, Taiwan authorities had paid huge amounts of money in the form of “donations” to experts and scholars recommended by US Congress members through several educational research institutes such as the “Taiwan Institute of Economic Development” and “Taiwan Research Institute.”Global Times

Source: Manila Times May 01, 2020 03:45 UTC