[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1678 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.1678

                     One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and twenty


                                 An Act


 
   To express United States support for Taiwan's diplomatic alliances 
                            around the world.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Allies International 
Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN.
    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
        (1) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8) states 
    that it is the policy of the United States ``to preserve and 
    promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and 
    other relations between the people of the United States and the 
    people on Taiwan''.
        (2) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that it is the 
    policy of the United States ``to maintain the capacity of the 
    United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of 
    coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or 
    economic system, of the people on Taiwan''.
        (3) Taiwan is a free, democratic, and prosperous nation of 
    23,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and 
    stability around the world.
        (4) Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen as President 
    of Taiwan in 2016, the Government of the People's Republic of China 
    has intensified its efforts to pressure Taiwan.
        (5) Since 2016, the Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, the 
    Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, the Solomon Islands, 
    and Kiribati have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor 
    of diplomatic relations with China.
        (6) Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic relations with 
    15 nations around the world.
        (7) Taiwan's unique relationship with the United States, 
    Australia, India, Japan, and other countries are of significant 
    benefit in strengthening Taiwan's economy and preserving its 
    international space.
        (8) According to President Tsai Ing-wen, the severance of 
    diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of diplomatic relations with 
    China is ``part of a series of diplomatic and military acts of 
    coercion'' by China.
        (9) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 
    115-409) states that--
            (A) it is United States policy ``to support the close 
        economic, political, and security relationship between Taiwan 
        and the United States''; and
            (B) the President should--
                (i) ``conduct regular transfers of defense articles to 
            Taiwan that are tailored to meet the existing and likely 
            future threats from the People's Republic of China, 
            including supporting the efforts of Taiwan to develop and 
            integrate asymmetric capabilities, as appropriate, 
            including mobile, survivable, and cost-effective 
            capabilities, into its military forces''; and
                (ii) ``encourage the travel of high-level United States 
            officials to Taiwan, in accordance with the Taiwan Travel 
            Act''.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN.
    It is the sense of Congress that--
        (1) the United States and Taiwan have built a strong economic 
    partnership, with the United States now Taiwan's second largest 
    trading partner and with Taiwan the 11th largest trading partner of 
    the United States and a key destination for United States 
    agricultural exports;
        (2) strong United States-Taiwan economic relations have been a 
    positive factor in stimulating economic growth and job creation for 
    the people of both the United States and Taiwan; and
        (3) the United States Trade Representative should consult with 
    Congress on opportunities for further strengthening bilateral trade 
    and economic relations between the United States and Taiwan.
SEC. 4. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH REGARD TO TAIWAN'S 
PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
    It should be the policy of the United States--
        (1) to advocate, as appropriate--
            (A) for Taiwan's membership in all international 
        organizations in which statehood is not a requirement and in 
        which the United States is also a participant; and
            (B) for Taiwan to be granted observer status in other 
        appropriate international organizations;
        (2) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the United 
    States Government in all organizations described in paragraph (1) 
    to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to 
    advocate for Taiwan's membership or observer status in such 
    organizations; and
        (3) for the President or the President's designees to advocate, 
    as appropriate, for Taiwan's membership or observer status in all 
    organizations described in paragraph (1) as part of any relevant 
    bilateral engagements between the United States and the People's 
    Republic of China, including leader summits and the U.S.-China 
    Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.
SEC. 5. STRENGTHENING OF TIES WITH TAIWAN.
    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States Government should--
        (1) support Taiwan in strengthening its official diplomatic 
    relationships as well as other partnerships with countries in the 
    Indo-Pacific region and around the world;
        (2) consider, in certain cases as appropriate and in alignment 
    with United States interests, increasing its economic, security, 
    and diplomatic engagement with nations that have demonstrably 
    strengthened, enhanced, or upgraded relations with Taiwan; and
        (3) consider, in certain cases as appropriate, in alignment 
    with United States foreign policy interests and in consultation 
    with Congress, altering its economic, security, and diplomatic 
    engagement with nations that take serious or significant actions to 
    undermine the security or prosperity of Taiwan.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of 
State shall report to the appropriate congressional committees on the 
steps taken in accordance with subsection (a).
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
    Appropriations, and the Committee on Finance of the Senate; and
        (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
    Appropriations, and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
    Representatives.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.