US Senate Passes Bill To Push Travel To Taiwan

The United States Senate has passed a bill promoting US-Taiwan relations – legislation that is likely to infuriate China.

The Taiwan Travel Act, intended to encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan "at all levels" was passed by unanimous consent overnight on Wednesday, having passed the House of Representatives in January.

The bill adds that it should be US policy for high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States, meet with US officials and conduct business in the country.

President Donald Trump's signature is now all that is needed for the bill to become law – something that is not likely to be an obstacle, given that the bill was passed unanimously.

Trump sparked protest from China shortly after his election in 2016 by accepting a phone call from Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen, an action seen as breaking the protocol of the One China policy.

He made amends by vowing to uphold the One China policy shortly before President Xi Jinping's visit to his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort – but infuriated Beijing again last summer by approving a US$1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan. (AFP)