[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 59 (Thursday, April 4, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2280-S2281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 13--REAFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES 
COMMITMENT TO TAIWAN AND TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS 
                                  ACT

  Mr. GARDNER (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Menendez, and 
Mr. Risch) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

[[Page S2281]]

  


                            S. Con. Res. 13

       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act (referred to in this 
     resolution as the ``TRA''), which was signed into law on 
     April 10, 1979, codified into law the basis for continued 
     commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people 
     of the United States and the people of Taiwan, and serves as 
     the foundation to preserve and promote continued bilateral 
     bonds;
       Whereas the TRA enshrines the United States commitment to 
     make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense 
     services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable 
     Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;
       Whereas pursuant to section 1206 of the Foreign Relations 
     Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228; 22 
     U.S.C. 2321k note.), Taiwan is to be treated as though it 
     were designated a major non-NATO ally for transfers of 
     defense articles or defense services;
       Whereas in 1982, President Ronald Reagan further clarified 
     the importance and resilience of the United States-Taiwan 
     relationship by agreeing to the Six Assurances;
       Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances are cornerstones of 
     United States policy with respect to Taiwan, as was 
     reaffirmed--
       (1) by the House of Representatives with the adoption of H. 
     Con. Res. 88 on May 16, 2016; and
       (2) by the Senate with the adoption of S. Con. Res. 38 on 
     July 6, 2016;
       Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances have been essential 
     components in helping to maintain peace, security, and 
     stability in the Western Pacific, thereby furthering the 
     political, security, and economic interests of the United 
     States and Taiwan;
       Whereas the United States and Taiwan have forged ever 
     closer economic and security relations during the last 4 
     decades based on--
       (1) their shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the 
     rule of law, and free market principles; and
       (2) their willingness to partner in efforts to combat 
     global terrorism and to address other global challenges, such 
     as challenges related to the environment, public health, 
     energy security, education, women's empowerment, digital 
     economy, poverty, and natural disasters;
       Whereas the United States-Taiwan global partnership was 
     further strengthened in June 2015, with a memorandum of 
     understanding between the American Institute in Taiwan and 
     the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the 
     United States, which established the Global Cooperation and 
     Training Framework, and has allowed the 2 parties to cohost 
     many workshops on critical topics, including a December 2018 
     workshop on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief that 
     was attended by 10 regional governments;
       Whereas Taiwan has the expertise, willingness, and 
     capability to engage in international efforts to mitigate 
     global challenges related to such issues as public health, 
     aviation safety, crime, and terrorism, but its participation 
     in such efforts has been constrained by conditions imposed by 
     the People's Republic of China;
       Whereas successive Congresses have called upon the 
     executive branch to develop strategies to obtain meaningful 
     participation for Taiwan in international organizations, such 
     as the World Health Organization, the International Civil 
     Aviation Organization, and the International Criminal Police 
     Organization (commonly known as ``INTERPOL'');
       Whereas the House of Representatives passed H.R. 353 on 
     January 22, 2019, which expresses support for Taiwan's 
     participation at the World Health Organization's World Health 
     Assembly as an observer;
       Whereas communication on bilateral security, cultural, and 
     commercial interests would be greatly enhanced with the full 
     implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 115-135), 
     which was signed into law on March 16, 2018, and which states 
     ``the United States Government should encourage visits 
     between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all 
     levels'';
       Whereas the United States and Taiwan have built a strong 
     economic partnership in which--
       (1) the United States is Taiwan's third largest trading 
     partner; and
       (2) Taiwan is the 11th largest trading partner of the 
     United States and a key destination for United States 
     agricultural exports;
       Whereas strong United States-Taiwan economic relations have 
     been a positive factor in stimulating economic growth and job 
     creation for the people of the United States and of Taiwan; 
     and
       Whereas successive Congresses have publicly reaffirmed 
     United States commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan 
     Relations Act and Six Assurances, including most recently on 
     December 31, 2018, with the enactment into law of the Asia 
     Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409), 
     which states that--
       (1) it is United States policy ``to support the close 
     economic, political, and security relationship between Taiwan 
     and the United States''; and
       (2) the President should--
          (A) ``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
          (B) ``encourage the travel of high-level United States 
     officials to Taiwan, in accordance with the Taiwan Travel 
     Act'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) reaffirms that the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six 
     Assurances are, and will remain, cornerstones of United 
     States relations with Taiwan;
       (2) encourages United States officials at all levels to 
     travel to meet with their counterparts in Taiwan, and for 
     high-level Taiwan officials to enter the United States and 
     meet with United States officials, in accordance with the 
     Taiwan Travel Act;
       (3) reiterates that the President should conduct regular 
     transfers of defense articles to Taiwan consistent with 
     Taiwan's national security requirements in accordance with 
     existing law, including the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act 
     of 2018 (Public Law 115-409);
       (4) calls upon the Secretary of State to actively engage 
     internationally in support of Taiwan's meaningful 
     participation in international organizations engaged in 
     addressing transnational threats and challenges such as those 
     related to health, aviation security, and crime and 
     terrorism;
       (5) recognizes Taiwan's partnership in combating global 
     terrorism, including as a full partner in the Global 
     Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and in addressing other global 
     challenges through the Global Cooperation and Training 
     Framework and similar initiatives;
       (6) urges the President to explore opportunities to expand 
     and deepen bilateral economic and trade relations with 
     Taiwan;
       (7) underscores the importance of the close people-to-
     people ties cultivated through initiatives such as the 
     Fulbright Program, which has supported thousands of scholar 
     and grantee exchanges between the United States and Taiwan 
     for 60 years;
       (8) welcomes the inclusion of Taiwan into the United States 
     visa waiver program and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 
     Global Entry Program to make it easier for those traveling 
     from Taiwan to visit the United States; and
       (9) acknowledges the important work done by the American 
     Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural 
     Representative Office in support of United States-Taiwan 
     interests.

                          ____________________