TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) must be amended to enhance the U.S.’ security commitment to Taiwan, Hoover Institute China Center Director Miles Yu (余茂春) said on Saturday (April 13).

Speaking at an event marking the 45th anniversary of TRA, Yu said that the legislation only protects the main island of Taiwan and Penghu Island, excluding the outlying islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Dongsha, and Taiping. This is a loophole that needs to be addressed through U.S. law., he said, per CNA.

Yu also said the act refers to the Taiwanese as "the people on Taiwan," which is unclear. Terms such as "the people of Taiwan" or "the Taiwanese people" should be used instead, he said.

The academic said the TRA is U.S. law that uses legal language to define U.S.-Taiwan relations, indicating that U.S. policy towards Taiwan is not strategically ambiguous, especially in terms of security and legal guarantees. There is no ambiguity in its commitment to Taiwan, he said.

Concerning a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Yu said he believes the likelihood cannot be summarized as "large or small" or "existent or nonexistent." There are four aspects to an invasion of Taiwan: motivation, capability, opportunity, and cost, he said.

In terms of motivation and capability, China’s chances of attacking Taiwan are high, but opportunity and cost are factors that Beijing cannot control, Yu said. Taiwan should deny China any prospect of attacking and make it clear to the Chinese Communist Party that using force would come at a great cost, he added.