Congressman Thomas Tiffany | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Thomas Tiffany | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON, DC – In a move to promote closer U.S.-Taiwan cooperation and challenge the outdated “One China” policy, the House of Representatives approved two amendments authored by Representative Tom Tiffany (WI-07) to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. These amendments aim to address the flawed policy and ensure accurate representation of Taiwan on official maps.
One of the approved amendments, known as the “honest maps” amendment, prohibits the Department of Defense from creating, procuring, or displaying any map that depicts Taiwan as part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China. This amendment seeks to reflect the reality that Taiwan is not and has never been part of Communist China.
The second amendment introduced by Representative Tiffany blocks the enforcement of arbitrary State Department restrictions that limit communication and cooperation between U.S. officials and their counterparts in Taiwan. These restrictions, imposed at the behest of Communist China, hinder coordination with military planners in Taipei and undermine existing U.S. law.
In his remarks on the “honest maps” amendment, Representative Tiffany emphasized the need to abandon the antiquated and dishonest “One China Policy.” He stated, “[A]ll of us know that Taiwan is not – nor has it ever been – part of Communist China. Any claims to the contrary are simply false. While my amendment will not end that misguided policy, it will at least require that the maps that we use reflect a simple reality: China is China, and Taiwan is Taiwan.”
Regarding his amendment to prevent State Department restrictions, Representative Tiffany highlighted the counter-productive nature of these restrictions and their conflict with existing U.S. law. He criticized the limitations on high-ranking officials traveling to Taiwan and the policing of language, stating, “In essence, they are designed to prevent and limit high-level interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials – despite the fact that it has been official U.S. policy since 2018 to encourage and facilitate them.” He called for an end to these restrictions, emphasizing that they only serve the interests of Communist China.
The House's approval of these amendments marks a step towards strengthening U.S.-Taiwan relations and challenging the flawed “One China” policy. The amendments aim to ensure accurate representation of Taiwan and foster closer cooperation between the two nations.
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