[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1678 Referred in House (RFH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1678


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 31, 2019

 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 unofficial relations 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. STRENGTHENING OF OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL 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 unofficial 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 and in 
        alignment with United States interests, reducing its economic, 
        security, and diplomatic engagement with nations that take 
        serious or significant actions to undermine Taiwan.
    (b) Consultation.--Not less than 30 days before increasing or 
decreasing the United States Government's economic, security, or 
diplomatic engagement with another nation as a result of an action 
taken by that nation to either strengthen or undermine ties with 
Taiwan, the Secretary of State shall consult with the appropriate 
congressional committees with respect to the proposed United States 
action or actions.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to supersede or otherwise alter obligations to 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. 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. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH TAIWAN.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States should engage in 
bilateral trade negotiations with Taiwan, with the goal of entering 
into a free trade agreement that is of mutual economic benefit and that 
protects United States workers and benefits United States exporters.

SEC. 6. 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.

            Passed the Senate October 29, 2019.

            Attest:

                                                JULIE E. ADAMS,

                                                             Secretary.