[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 88 (Monday, May 11, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1582. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Inhofe) proposed an amendment to the
bill S. 249, 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; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
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.
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