[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 140 (Thursday, August 5, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5989-S5990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO REGAIN 
      OBSERVER STATUS FOR TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 110, S. 812.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 812) 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.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SCHATZ. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read 
a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 812) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed as follows:

                                 S. 812

       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 virtual WHA in May 
     2020.
       (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''. The WHO did not invite Taiwan to 
     attend the WHA as an observer in 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020.

[[Page S5990]]

       (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. 
     In 2020, after successfully containing the spread of the 
     novel coronavirus within its borders while upholding 
     democratic principles, Taiwan generously donated millions of 
     pieces of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests to 
     countries in need. 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 Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, 
     the Republic of El Salvador, the Solomon Islands, and the 
     Republic of Kiribati 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 the Act 
     entitled, ``To address the participation of Taiwan in the 
     World Health Organization'' (Public Law 108-235; 22 U.S.C. 
     290 note) 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 the Act 
     entitled, ``To address the participation of Taiwan in the 
     World Health Organization'' (Public Law 108-235; 22 U.S.C. 
     290 note) that is submitted after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act.

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