[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 249 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 249

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain 
 observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized 
        agency of the United Nations, charged with coordinating health 
        efforts within the United Nations system. The World Health 
        Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of the WHO, which 
        convenes annually in May to set the policies and priorities of 
        the organization. Statehood is not a requirement for attendance 
        at the WHA, and numerous observers, including non-members and 
        non-governmental organizations, attended the most recent WHA in 
        May 2018.
            (2) Taiwan began seeking to participate in the WHO as an 
        observer in 1997. In 2009, with strong support from successive 
        United States Administrations, Congress, and like-minded WHO 
        Member States, and during a period of improved Cross-Strait 
        relations, Taiwan received an invitation to attend the WHA as 
        an observer under the name ``Chinese Taipei''. Taiwan received 
        the same invitation each year until 2016, when following the 
        election of President Tsai-Ing Wen of the Democratic 
        Progressive Party, Taiwan's engagement in the international 
        community began facing increased resistance from the People's 
        Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan's invitation to the 2016 WHA 
        was received late and included new language conditioning 
        Taiwan's participation on the PRC's ``one China principle''. In 
        2017 and 2018, Taiwan did not receive an invitation to the WHA.
            (3) Taiwan remains a model contributor to world health, 
        having provided financial and technical assistance to respond 
        to numerous global health challenges. Taiwan has invested over 
        $6,000,000,000 in international medical and humanitarian aid 
        efforts impacting over 80 countries since 1996. In 2014, Taiwan 
        responded to the Ebola crisis by donating $1,000,000 and 
        providing 100,000 sets of personal protective equipment. 
        Through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, the 
        United States and Taiwan have jointly conducted training 
        programs for experts to combat MERS, Dengue Fever, and Zika. 
        These diseases know no borders, and Taiwan's needless exclusion 
        from global health cooperation increases the dangers presented 
        by global pandemics.
            (4) Taiwan's international engagement has faced increased 
        resistance from the PRC. Taiwan was not invited to the 2016 
        Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization 
        (ICAO), despite participating as a guest at the organization's 
        prior summit in 2013. Taiwan's requests to participate in the 
        General Assembly of the International Criminal Police 
        Organization (INTERPOL) have also been rejected. In May 2017, 
        PRC delegates disrupted a meeting of the Kimberley Process on 
        conflict diamonds held in Perth, Australia, until delegates 
        from Taiwan were asked to leave. Since 2016, the Democratic 
        Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, the Republic of Panama, the 
        Solomon Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Dominican 
        Republic, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of El Salvador have 
        terminated longstanding diplomatic relationships with Taiwan 
        and granted diplomatic recognition to the PRC.
            (5) Congress has established a policy of support for 
        Taiwan's participation in international bodies that address 
        shared transnational challenges, particularly in the WHO. 
        Congress passed H.R. 1794 in the 106th Congress, H.R. 428 in 
        the 107th Congress, and S. 2092 in the 108th Congress to direct 
        the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for, and to 
        report annually to Congress on, efforts to obtain observer 
        status for Taiwan at the WHA. Congress also passed H.R. 1151 in 
        the 113th Congress, directing the Secretary to report on a 
        strategy to gain observer status for Taiwan at the ICAO 
        Assembly, and H.R. 1853 in the 114th Congress, directing the 
        Secretary to report on a strategy to gain observer status for 
        Taiwan at the INTERPOL Assembly. However, since 2016 Taiwan has 
        not received an invitation to attend any of these events as an 
        observer.
    (b) Augmentation of Report Concerning the Participation of Taiwan 
in the World Health Organization.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 1 of Public Law 
        108-235 (118 Stat. 656) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new paragraph:
            ``(3) An account of the changes and improvements the 
        Secretary of State has made to the United States plan to 
        endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the World 
        Health Assembly, following any annual meetings of the World 
        Health Assembly at which Taiwan did not obtain observer 
        status.''.
            (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
        shall take effect and apply beginning with the first report 
        required under subsection (c) of section 1 of Public Law 108-
        235 that is submitted after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act.

SEC. 2. BRIEFING 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 for three years, 
the Secretary of State, or the Secretary's designee, shall provide to 
the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on actions taken by 
the United States to reaffirm and strengthen Taiwan's official and 
unofficial diplomatic relationships.
    (b) Elements.--The briefing required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following elements:
            (1) A description of the actions taken by the United States 
        commencing 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) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the 
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ASIA REASSURANCE 
              INITIATIVE ACT.

    It is the sense of Congress that the full and timely implementation 
of section 209 of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (Public Law 115-
409), which reiterates longstanding bipartisan United States policy, is 
critical to demonstrate United States support for Taiwan.

            Passed the Senate May 11, 2020.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
116th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 249

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

   To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain 
 observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for 
                            other purposes.