[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1678 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1678
To express United States support for Taiwan's diplomatic alliances
around the world.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 23 (legislative day, May 22), 2019
Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Cornyn)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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, and El Salvador have
severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of diplomatic
relations with China.
(6) Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic relations
with 17 nations around the world.
(7) According to President Tsai Ing-wen, the severance of
diplomatic ties is ``part of a series of diplomatic and
military acts of coercion''.
(8) 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. REPORT ON UNITED STATES STRATEGY REGARDING TAIWAN'S
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of
State or a designee of the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on actions taken by the United States
to reaffirm and strengthen Taiwan's international alliances around the
world.
(b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall include
the following elements:
(1) A description of the actions taken by the Secretary of
State, or designees of the Secretary, effective May 20, 2016,
to consult with governments around the world, including the
governments that maintain official diplomatic relations with
Taiwan, with the purpose of inducing those governments to
maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan or otherwise
strengthen unofficial relations with Taiwan.
(2) An enumeration of specific countries of concern, if
any, and a description of the actions taken, or actions
anticipated, by those governments, commencing May 20, 2016, to
alter the formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan or to otherwise
downgrade official or unofficial relations.
(3) A plan of action to engage with the governments of the
countries identified in paragraphs (1) and (2) and increase
cooperation with respect to Taiwan.
(c) Form of Report.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall
be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION TO CONSIDER MODIFICATION OF UNITED STATES
DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE WITH NATIONS TAKING ACTIONS TO
UNDERMINE TAIWAN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State may consider taking such
action to modify United States diplomatic presence as necessary and
appropriate to provide incentives to countries considering or taking
steps to alter or downgrade official or unofficial ties with Taiwan.
(b) Actions Included.--Actions described in subsection (a) may
include--
(1) supplementing or reducing the appropriate diplomatic
presence in the United States of countries identified pursuant
to section 3 as having taken, or anticipating, actions to alter
formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan or otherwise downgrade
relations; and
(2) supplementing or reducing the diplomatic presence of
the United States in those countries.
(c) Consultation.--Not less than 30 days before taking any action
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate
congressional committees with respect to the action.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION TO CONSIDER ADJUSTMENT OF UNITED STATES
ASSISTANCE TO NATIONS TAKING ACTIONS TO UNDERMINE TAIWAN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State may consider the expansion,
termination, or reduction of United States foreign assistance to
countries identified pursuant to section 3 as having taken, or
anticipating, actions to alter or downgrade official or unofficial ties
with Taiwan or otherwise downgrade relations.
(b) Assistance Included.--Assistance for consideration under
subsection (a) may include--
(1) assistance under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the
Economic Support Fund);
(2) military assistance provided pursuant to section 23 of
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating to the
Foreign Military Financing Program); and
(3) assistance provided under chapter 5 of part II of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.;
relating to international military education and training).
(c) Consultation.--Not less than 30 days before taking any action
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate
congressional committees with respect to the action, as well as comply
with the notification procedures applicable to reprogramming pursuant
to section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394-
1).
SEC. 6. 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 and vote 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. 7. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
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