Congressional Record, Volume 169 Issue 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)

[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3913-H3915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY ACT

Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1176) to amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and
Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 to provide that the United
States, as a member of any international organizations, should oppose
any attempts by the People's Republic of China to resolve Taiwan's
status by distorting the decisions, language, policies, or procedures
of the organization, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 1176

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan International
Solidarity Act''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION REGARDING UNITED NATIONS GENERAL
ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 2758 (XXVI).

Subsection (a) of section 2 of the Taiwan Allies
International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI)
Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-135) (relating to diplomatic
relations with Taiwan) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraphs:
``(10) United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758
(XXVI) established the representatives of the Government of
the People's Republic of China as the only lawful
representatives of China to the United Nations. The
resolution did not address the issue of representation of
Taiwan and its people in the United Nations or any related
organizations, nor did the resolution take a position on the
relationship between the People's Republic of China and
Taiwan or include any statement pertaining to Taiwan's
sovereignty.
``(11) The United States opposes any initiative that seeks
to change Taiwan's status without the consent of the
people.''.

SEC. 3. UNITED STATES ADVOCACY FOR INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS TO RESIST THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA'S EFFORTS TO DISTORT THE ``ONE CHINA''
POSITION.

Section 4 of the Taiwan Allies International Protection and
Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 (relating to the
policy of the United States regarding Taiwan's participation
in international organizations) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the
United States Government in all organizations described in
paragraph (1) to use the voice, vote, and influence of the
United States to advocate such organizations to resist the
People's Republic of China's efforts to distort the
decisions, language, policies, or procedures of such
organizations regarding Taiwan.''.

SEC. 4. OPPOSING THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'S EFFORTS TO
UNDERMINE TAIWAN'S TIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
INTERNATIONALLY.

Subsection (a) of section 5 of the Taiwan Allies
International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI)
Act of 2019 (relating to strengthening ties with Taiwan) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) encourage, as appropriate, United States allies and
partners to oppose the People's Republic of China's efforts
to undermine Taiwan's official diplomatic relationships and
its partnerships with countries with which it does not
maintain diplomatic relations.''.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'S ATTEMPTS
TO PROMOTE ITS ``ONE CHINA'' POSITION.

(a) In General.--Subsection (b) of section 5 of the Taiwan
Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative
(TAIPEI) Act of 2019 (relating to strengthening ties with
Taiwan) is amended by inserting before the period at the end
the following: ``, as well as information relating to any
prior or ongoing attempts by the People's Republic of China
to undermine Taiwan's membership or observer status in all
organizations described in section (4)(1) and Taiwan's ties
and relationships with other countries in accordance with
subsection (a) of this section''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act
and apply beginning with the first report required under
subsection (b) of section 5 of the Taiwan Allies
International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI)
Act of 2019, as amended by subsection (a), that is required
after such date.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Barr) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.

General Leave

Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Taiwan, an island of democracy and stability, is a key
U.S. partner facing an increasingly aggressive Chinese Communist Party.
Chinese military aggression is the most visible type of coercion
against Taiwan, but CCP influence is widespread. In almost every
international organization, the CCP is taking over leadership positions
and pushing Taiwan aside.
For far too long, the CCP has employed an insidious strategic
approach to suppress Taiwan's participation in the international
community. The Chinese Communist Party has undermined Taiwan and spread
propaganda about that democracy's ability to participate in
international organizations. We cannot turn a blind eye to this assault
on the very institutions we helped build after World War II.
There is no clearer example of the Chinese Communist Party's
nefarious tactics than their manipulation of U.N. Resolution 2758.
Passed in 1971, that resolution recognized the PRC as the U.N.
representative for China.
It said nothing about Taiwan's U.N. representation or sovereignty,
yet the CCP propaganda wrongly claims that this resolution asserts PRC
representation over Taiwan. Beijing has used it as a weapon to prevent
Taiwan from participating in international organizations. This
resolution, which was intended to bring nations together, has instead
been exploited to isolate Taiwan. We cannot allow this blatant assault
on freedom to go unchallenged.
Taiwan is a vibrant and thriving democracy rooted in freedom, pushing
the envelope on advanced technology like semiconductors. By supporting
Taiwan's participation in international organizations, we bolster our
own national security, enhance regional stability, and safeguard the
interests of the United States and our allies.
The consequences of Beijing's actions extend far beyond Taiwan's
borders. The CCP's suffocating grip prevents Taiwan from sharing its
invaluable expertise in areas such as public health, technology, and
humanitarian aid.
For example, Taiwan is not a member of the WHO because of the CCP,
but it was Taiwan that came forward at the end of 2019 with an early
warning of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the CCP robbed the world of critical
time needed to counter the pandemic, causing millions to die around the
world. This is what happens when the CCP manipulates

[[Page H3914]]

international organizations, and this is what happens when Taiwan is
excluded from international organizations: Millions die.
By supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international
organizations, we demonstrate to the CCP that we stand firm in our
commitment to promoting freedom, democracy, and human rights.
I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a fellow co-chair
of the Taiwan Caucus, for introducing this bipartisan bill, of which I
am a proud original cosponsor.
H.R. 1176 will send a clear message to the CCP that we will not
tolerate their attempts to suppress, delegitimize, and coerce Taiwan
and its people. The Taiwan Relations Act holds that it is United States
policy to maintain their capacity ``to resist any resort to force or
other forms of coercion. . . .'' That policy must include the stance we
are taking today, to resist the Chinese Communist Party's coercive
tactics at international organizations.
Mr. Speaker, this bill deserves our unanimous support. I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I echo the gentleman from Kentucky's fervent desire that
we merit unanimous support for this piece of legislation.
I rise in support of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act which I
authored with the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), my friend, to stand
up for Taiwan's participation in international organizations against
the backdrop of an ever-bellicose People's Republic of China.
Our bill responds to Beijing's aggression by strengthening the TAIPEI
Act of 2019 to clarify that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 does
not--does not--preclude the United States from using its vote, voice,
and influence to resist the reckless campaign against Taiwan's rightful
place on the world stage.
The Taiwan International Solidarity Act amends the TAIPEI Act of
2019, a bill that passed by a unified bipartisan vote of 415-0. It
instructs the U.S. to use its voice, vote, and influence to resist
Beijing's efforts to distort the decisions, language, policies, or
procedures of international organizations regarding Taiwan. It
encourages the U.S. to work with allies and partners to oppose the
People's Republic of China's efforts to undermine Taiwan's diplomatic
relationships and partnerships globally. It expands reporting
requirements to include information relating to any prior or ongoing
attempts by the People's Republic of China to undermine Taiwan's
participation in international organizations as well as its ties and
relationships with other countries.
Over the past decade, the People's Republic of China has successfully
weaponized a distorted interpretation of United Nations General
Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognized the People's Republic of
China as China's representative to that body in 1971.
Since then, it is no secret that the People's Republic of China has
leveraged its growing influence in the United Nations and international
organizations to make sure that they could exclude Taiwan's meaningful
participation in the international arena and preclude its technical and
scientific expertise, as we saw in the pandemic, from which the world
can benefit.

Delegates from Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly as nonvoting
observers from 2009 to 2016, but in 2016, the PRC successfully bullied
enough member states to rescind that invitation.
The denial of Taiwan's participation at the International Civil
Aviation Organization poses a direct threat to aviation safety, and
without member status at INTERPOL, Taiwan is denied access to crucial
information that could be used to fight international criminal activity
and, I might add, the drug trade we just talked about.
We face unprecedented health and security threats here in the United
States and abroad, and Taiwan's distinct capabilities, public health
expertise, democratic governance, and advanced technology underscore
the need for this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, the People's Republic of China has made its intentions
crystal clear:
They have encroached on the territorial waters and airspace of their
neighbors.
They have made ludicrous claims of sovereignty over the entire South
China Sea.
They have engaged in, or threatened, kinetic activity on the Indian
border, the Vietnamese border, and, of course, across the Taiwan
Strait.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to make clear that any decision by the PRC to
intimidate, bully, and exclude Taiwan will not be condoned or tolerated
by the United States of America and certainly not by this Congress.
The United States, in the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act, must
continue to reject any unilateral aggression against Taiwan, including
within international organizations and bodies.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to heed the advice of the gentleman
from Kentucky and pass this bill unanimously. I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah
(Mr. Curtis), the Republican principal sponsor of this bill and author
of the bill. He is a great friend to the people of Taiwan and a member
of the Taiwan Caucus.
Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Taiwan
International Solidarity Act, which I co-lead with my good friend from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly).
This legislation amends the TAIPEI Act, my bill that was signed into
law in March of 2020, which countered China's poaching of Taiwan's
allies and China's efforts to exclude Taiwan from international
organizations.
I am proud that my bill has greatly strengthened our relationship
with Taiwan. However, since the bill's signing in 2020, China has
mounted pressure on international organizations to claim that Taiwan is
part of China.
The Taiwan International Solidarity Act expands on the TAIPEI Act to
further counter China's attempt to use international organizations to
claim that Taiwan is part of China by distorting the language,
policies, and procedures of international organizations.
We all witnessed this in an infamous interview at the height of COVID
where a reporter asked a representative of the World Health
Organization a question about Taiwan. The WHO officer initially refused
to answer and then said: ``Well, we've already talked about China,''
implying that Taiwan is part of China.
It is unacceptable for international institutions, funded largely by
U.S. taxpayer dollars, to be repeating the CCP narrative.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

{time} 1645

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lieu).
Mr. LIEU. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Connolly,
for his leadership.
I am a proud coauthor of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act.
Taiwan is a critically important partner to the United States, and
Taiwan has made significant contributions to the international
community.
Unfortunately, the actions of the government of the People's Republic
of China have prevented Taiwan from being a part of important
international organizations that help not only the United States but
also helps their international community and helps the PRC.
For example, the PRC blocks Taiwan from being a part of the
International Civil Aviation Organization. That is just really stupid
because there are people from the PRC flying into Taiwan and flying
out; there are people from the United States flying into Taiwan and
flying out.
Why wouldn't you want Taiwan to have safer air travel? You absolutely
would. The PRC also, unfortunately, blocked Taiwan from being in the
World Health Assembly. Factually, it turns out that Taiwan got it
right. Taiwan told the entire world that COVID could be passed through
human transmission. The PRC lied to the entire world and said that that
was not true.
Taiwan got it right and yet, the WHO excludes Taiwan. The WHO should
be ashamed of themselves and should let Taiwan in.
Taiwan is also excluded from INTERPOL. Why wouldn't you want Taiwan
to help with fighting crime and

[[Page H3915]]

terrorism around the world? You absolutely would.
This bill would require the State Department to report to Congress
every year on any efforts by the PRC government to undermine Taiwan's
participation in international organizations.
It would also require the State Department to report on any PRC
government effort to undermine Taiwan's relationships with other
countries. This information we receive will be critical to holding the
PRC government accountable for any efforts to undermine Taiwan's
contributions to the international community.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close. I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Again, I thank my friend from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for his leadership
and cosponsorship, and my partner, Mr. Curtis, for his enormous effort
in trying to bring this bill before our committee for markup and to the
floor.
Mr. Speaker, acting on this bill is not a nice thing to do to
recognize an allied partner, but it is actually for practical reasons.
There are consequences when Taiwan, with independent capability, and
enormous scientific and technical expertise, cannot participate in
deliberations about world public health during a pandemic.
There are consequences when it cannot participate in INTERPOL and
help us in that fentanyl drug trafficking coming from the big country
just to its north, China.
There are consequences when we deny Taiwan its legitimate place and
voice in international deliberations.
Mr. Speaker, passing this bill, I hope, will have positive and
practical consequences. It will remind our friends and allies and our
adversaries that this Congress believes Taiwan is entitled to its voice
and its seat at the table in important international organizations that
are operational and that have consequences, good and bad, for the
world's population.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I, once again, commend my colleagues, the gentleman from
Virginia and the gentleman from Utah, for their leadership in
introducing the Taiwan International Solidarity Act for standing with
the people of Taiwan.
Obviously, Taiwan does hold some status in some regional
organizations, international organizations, and it holds observer or
other status in several other bodies. But Taiwan cannot participate in
organizations that are key to transnational issues, such as the World
Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, or
INTERPOL, as has been pointed out. China continues to advocate for
Taiwan's exclusion in these international organizations and blocks
Taiwan's participation in the United Nations.
This bill would amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and
Enhancement Initiative Act, or the TAIPEI Act of 2019, to reiterate
that the United States, as a member of any international organization,
should oppose attempts by the People's Republic of China to resolve
Taiwan's status by distorting the decisions, language, policies, or
procedures, of international organizations.
This bill encourages U.S. allies and partners to oppose the Chinese
Communist efforts to undermine Taiwan's official diplomatic
relationships and its partnerships with countries with which it does
not maintain diplomatic relations.
The bill adds an additional requirement to report to Congress on the
PRC's attempts to promote its One China position in undermining
Taiwan's membership or observer status in international organizations
and Taiwan's ties and relationships with other countries.
Mr. Speaker, I traveled to Taipei back in September of last year.
This was a major topic of discussion, Taiwan's systematic exclusion
from international organizations, and the coercive actions of the
Chinese Communist Party in working against Taiwan being a participant
in the international community. This is wrong.
The United States needs to stand with the Taiwan people and the
democracy, that island of democracy and stability. That is why every
Member of this body should support this important legislation and stand
for Taiwan's inclusion and constructive participation in international
organizations.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1176.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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