Authorities in Taiwan are actively considering a proposal from a lawmaker to invite former US President Barack Obama to visit the island, local media have reported.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lin Chun-hsien, who came forward with the idea, cited the visit of former President Bill Clinton – after handing over the presidency to then-president George W. Bush – as an example, saying that there was a precedent to invite Obama.

The proposal has been approved by the department in charge of international affairs.

The invitation seems to have been spurred by Obama’s controversial move as a lame-duck president.

In December, Obama signed into law the US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which includes a provision on military cooperation with Taiwan.

The bill comprised clauses that would enable official exchanges between senior military officers from the two sides, grant observer status to Taiwan in maritime military exercises, and give grounds for arms sales to the island. It was the first time such specifications were listed since Washington severed ties with the island in 1979, and established formal diplomatic relations with Beijing after adhering to the “one-China” policy.

Lin made note of Obama’s decision to support his invitation proposal.

Beijing has firmly opposed any official and military exchange between the Taiwan island and countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

The “one-China” principle is the bedrock of Sino-American ties – and a foundation supported by both Republican and Democrat parties. However, over the years, Washington maintained some level of exchanges with the island, including billions of US dollars of arms sales to the island despite strong condemnation from Beijing.

After DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen became the island’s leader in May, Beijing expressed concern about her policy towards the Chinese mainland, as her party had traditionally supported the so-called “Taiwan independence.”

Tsai is yet to clarify whether she would accept the 1992 Consensus, which indicates that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to "One China."