Commending the Holy See for its enduring diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and affirming the support of Congress for the continued preservation of the Vatican-Taiwan diplomatic relationship.

Commending the Holy See for its enduring diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and affirming the support of Congress for the continued preservation of the Vatican-Taiwan diplomatic relationship.

Whereas the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–135) states that the United States Government should “support Taiwan in strengthening its official diplomatic relationships as well as other partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world”;

Whereas the Holy See has maintained strong diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 1942, making the Holy See Taiwan’s only official European diplomatic ally;

Whereas the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China maintain a 2018 agreement establishing a protocol for the selection of Catholic bishops in the People’s Republic of China;

Whereas the People’s Republic of China exploited the death of Pope Francis to violate the 2018 agreement and appointed 2 bishops without Vatican approval;

Whereas Taiwan has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to global religious freedom, specifically by responding to the 2018 Department of State’s first Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom and the Potomac Plan of Action through the appointment of Pusin Tali as its first Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom, and by further contributing a total of $1,000,000 to the International Religious Freedom Fund between 2019 and 2024 to support the promotion of religious liberty around the world;

Whereas Taiwan was among the first countries to proactively answer the call of the inaugural Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom by hosting “A Civil Society Dialogue on Securing Religious Freedom in the Indo-Pacific Region” in Taipei in March 2019, which brought together more than 200 religious, nongovernmental, and thought leaders alongside government officials from over a dozen countries, and featured a keynote address by United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback;

Whereas, in September 2023, The Legislative Yuan of Taiwan organized the Taiwan International Religious Freedom Summit in collaboration with the United States International Religious Freedom Secretariat, among others, which convened more than 150 lawmakers, government officials, religious leaders, and civil society professionals from around the world, including former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom;

Whereas, in August 2022, Taiwan became an observer of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, a multinational coalition dedicated to protecting and advancing freedom of religion or belief around the world, of which the United States is a founding member;

Whereas Taiwan continues to distinguish itself as a vibrant and competitive democracy, a status underscored by the Freedom House Freedom in the World 2025 report which awarded Taiwan a score of 94 out of 100 and recognized it as the second-freest entity in the Indo-Pacific region; and

Whereas the People’s Republic of China received a score of only 9 out of 100 and remains categorized as “Not Free”: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) commends the Holy See for its enduring diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and affirms the support of Congress for the continued preservation of the Vatican-Taiwan diplomatic relationship;

(2) recognizes Taiwan’s ongoing commitment to upholding and promoting international religious freedom, which stands in stark contrast to the People’s Republic of China’s systemic infringement of religious rights; and

(3) encourages the expansion of engagement between Taiwan and the Holy See, specifically through increased high-level visits by clergy and senior church officials from the Holy See to Taiwan to foster spiritual ties and partnership.