[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 107 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2863-H2865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TAIWAN NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2025
Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 910) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to pursue more
equitable treatment of Taiwan at the international financial
institutions, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 910
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 Non-Discrimination
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) As enshrined in its Articles of Agreement, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) is devoted to promoting
international monetary cooperation, facilitating the
expansion and balanced growth of international trade,
encouraging exchange stability, and avoiding competitive
exchange depreciation.
(2) Taiwan is the 21st largest economy in the world and the
10th largest goods trading partner of the United States.
(3) Although Taiwan is not an IMF member, it is a member of
the World Trade Organization, the Asian Development Bank, and
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
(4) According to the January 2020 Report on Macroeconomic
and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of
the United States, published by the Department of the
Treasury, Taiwan held $471,900,000,000 in foreign exchange
reserves, more than major economies such as India, South
Korea, and Brazil.
(5) According to section 4(d) of the Taiwan Relations Act
(Public Law 96-8), enacted on April 10, 1979, ``Nothing in
this Act may be construed as a basis for supporting the
exclusion or expulsion of Taiwan from continued membership in
any international financial institution or any other
international organization.''.
(6) Taiwan held membership in the IMF for 9 years following
the recognition of the People's Republic of China (PRC) by
the United Nations, and 16 Taiwan staff members at the Fund
were allowed to continue their employment after the PRC was
seated at the IMF in 1980. As James M. Boughton has noted in
his Silent Revolution: The International Monetary Fund 1979-
1989, even as the PRC was seated, the United States Executive
Director to the IMF, Sam Y. Cross, expressed support on
behalf of the United States Government for ``some kind of
association between Taiwan and the Fund''.
(7) On September 27, 1994, in testimony before the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations regarding the 1994 Taiwan
Policy Review, then-Assistant Secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific Affairs Winston Lord stated: ``Recognizing
Taiwan's important role in transnational issues, we will
support its membership in organizations where statehood is
not a prerequisite, and we will support opportunities for
Taiwan's voice to be heard in organizations where its
membership is not possible.''.
(8) The Congress has repeatedly reaffirmed support for this
policy, including in Public Laws 107-10, 107-158, 108-28,
108-235, 113-17, and 114-139, and the unanimous House and
Senate passage of the Taiwan Allies International Protection
and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019.
(9) In its fact sheet, entitled ``U.S. Relations with
Taiwan'', published on August 31, 2018, the Department of
State asserts: ``The United States supports Taiwan's
membership in international organizations that do not require
statehood as a condition of membership and encourages
Taiwan's meaningful participation in international
organizations where its membership is not possible.''.
(10) According to the Articles of Agreement of the IMF,
``membership shall be open to other countries'', subject to
conditions prescribed by the Board of Governors of the IMF.
(11) In the IMF publication ``Membership and Nonmembership
in the International Monetary Fund: A Study in International
Law and Organization'', Joseph Gold, the then-General Counsel
and Director of the Legal Department of the IMF, elaborated
on the differences between the terms ``countries'' and
``states'', noting that ``the word `country' may have been
adopted because of the absence of agreement on the definition
of a `state' '' and, with respect to the use of ``countries''
and applications for IMF membership, ``the absence of any
adjective in the Articles emphasizes the breadth of the
discretion that the Fund may exercise in admitting countries
to membership''. According to Mr. Gold, ``the desire to give
the Fund flexibility in dealing with applications may explain
not only the absence of any adjective that qualifies
`countries' but also the choice of that word itself''.
(12) In his IMF study, Mr. Gold further observes, ``in the
practice of the Fund the concepts of independence and
sovereignty have been avoided on the whole as a mode of
expressing a criterion for membership in the Fund''. He
continues, ``Although the Fund usually takes into account the
recognition or nonrecognition of an entity as a state, there
are no rules or even informal understandings on the extent to
which an applicant must have been recognized by members or
other international organizations before the Fund will regard
it as eligible for membership.''. In fact, when considering
an application for membership where the status of an
applicant may not be resolved, Mr. Gold writes ``there have
been occasions on which the Fund has made a finding before
decisions had been taken by the United Nations or by most
members or by members with a majority of the total voting
power.'' Mr. Gold concludes, ``the Fund makes its own
findings on whether an applicant is a `country', and makes
them solely for its own purposes.''.
(13) Although not a member state of the United Nations, the
Republic of Kosovo is a member of both the IMF and the World
Bank, having joined both organizations on June 29, 2009.
(14) On October 26, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken
issued a statement in support of Taiwan's ``robust,
meaningful participation'' in the United Nations system,
which includes the IMF, the World Bank, and other specialized
United Nations agencies. Secretary of State Blinken noted,
``As the international community faces an unprecedented
number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all
stakeholders to help address these problems. This includes
the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwan's meaningful
participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but
a pragmatic one.''. He continued, ``Taiwan's exclusion
undermines the important work of the UN and its related
bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its
contributions.''.
(15) In October 2024, Taiwan announced it would seek IMF
membership, with the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office in the United States stating,
``Taiwan's membership at the IMF would help boost financial
resilience.''.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the size, significance, and connectedness of the
Taiwanese economy highlight the importance of greater
participation by Taiwan in the International Monetary Fund,
given the purposes of the Fund articulated in its Articles of
Agreement; and
(2) the experience of Taiwan in developing a vibrant and
advanced economy under democratic governance and the rule of
law should inform the work of the international financial
institutions, including through increased participation by
Taiwan in the institutions.
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN ADMISSION TO THE IMF.
(a) In General.--The United States Governor of the
International Monetary Fund (in this section referred to as
the ``Fund'') shall use the voice and vote of the United
States to vigorously support--
(1) the admission of Taiwan as a member of the Fund, to the
extent that admission is sought by Taiwan;
(2) participation by Taiwan in regular surveillance
activities of the Fund with respect to the economic and
financial policies of Taiwan, consistent with Article IV
consultation procedures of the Fund;
(3) employment opportunities for Taiwan nationals, without
regard to any consideration that, in the determination of the
United States Governor, does not generally restrict the
employment of nationals of member countries of the Fund; and
(4) the ability of Taiwan to receive appropriate technical
assistance and training by the Fund.
(b) United States Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States not to discourage or otherwise deter Taiwan from
seeking admission as a member of the Fund.
(c) Waiver.--The Secretary of the Treasury may waive any
requirement of subsection (a) for up to 1 year at a time on
reporting to Congress that providing the waiver will
substantially promote the objective of securing the
meaningful participation of Taiwan at each international
financial institution (as defined in section 1701(c)(2) of
the International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C.
262r(c)(2))).
(d) Sunset.--This section shall have no force or effect on
the earlier of--
(1) the date of approval by the Board of Governors of the
Fund for the admission of Taiwan as a member of the Fund; or
(2) the date that is 10 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. TESTIMONY REQUIREMENT.
In each of the next 7 years in which the Secretary of the
Treasury is required by section 1705(b) of the International
Financial Institutions Act to present testimony, the
Secretary shall include in the testimony a description of the
efforts of the United States to support the greatest
participation practicable by Taiwan at each international
financial institution (as defined in section 1701(c)(2) of
such Act (22 U.S.C. 262r(c)(2))).
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bost). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Sherman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 910, the Taiwan Non-
Discrimination Act of 2025. I will start by thanking Representative Kim
for her important work on this legislation.
Following the House's passage of this bill last Congress, Taiwan
announced
[[Page H2864]]
that it would seek membership from the International Monetary Fund, or
IMF. This is a direct result of the gentlewoman's leadership on the
issue, and I applaud her for her dedication and her efforts.
Taiwan boasts a resilient and innovation-driven economy powered by
its high-tech industries, robust financial institutions, and dynamic
export sector.
The island plays a significant role in global supply chains,
particularly in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Yet, despite its economic strength and proven track record of
responsible financial governance, Taiwan continues to be marginalized
and held to a second-class standard by the IMF.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, Taiwan is eligible to join the IMF, and
U.S. policy has long supported Taiwan's membership in international
organizations whenever possible. Excluding Taiwan undermines the
legitimacy and effectiveness of the IMF as a truly global institution
in an increasingly complex world economy.
The IMF's core mission involves advising governments on economic
reform. What better society can the IMF point to when driving home the
importance of good policies.
Taiwan's per capital GDP has grown more than 35 times larger since
the end of the Chinese Civil War. The island has crucial insights to
offer an institution that seeks to put its borrowers on stable footing.
It is long overdue for Taiwan to receive the recognition and
representation it rightfully deserves at the IMF.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
910, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 910, the Taiwan Non-
Discrimination Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Kim from
California and cosponsored by Representative Green of Texas.
H.R. 910 requires the United States to advocate for Taiwan's
membership and participation in the International Monetary Fund, also
known as the IMF.
Taiwan is currently seeking to join the IMF, and I believe we should
support this effort.
The IMF was formed in 1944 to encourage economic cooperation and
stability after World War II. Today, the IMF offers technical
assistance related to sustainable economic growth and an international
reserve to provide liquidity, among other services it provides to its
member states. It is an essential institution for security and
cooperation on global economic matters.
Taiwan has a big impact in the world: vibrant culture, delicious
food, and a highly-educated population. Taiwan is also an essential
economic and trade partner of the United States and so many other
countries around the world.
According to the World Trade Organization, Taiwan was the 16th
largest exporter and the 21st largest merchandise importer in 2023.
Those exports, especially for information and communications technology
products, make Taiwan a critical partner to the United States and to
our industry and workers.
Thus, it seems obvious that such a pivotal part of the global economy
should not be excluded from engagement in one of our most important
international financial institutions.
As H.R. 910 requires, the U.S. would be an advocate that the IMF
admit Taiwan as a member, allowing the IMF to monitor and evaluate the
health of Taiwan's economy, provide technical support to Taiwanese
officials, and support employment opportunities at the IMF for Taiwan
nationals.
Given its contribution to the global economy, Taiwan should certainly
not be locked out of membership. Not only will this benefit Taiwan, it
will benefit America and the entire world economy.
It should be noted, however, that while this legislation will assist
Taiwan, some Republicans are ignoring what the administration is doing
that will hurt our economy and that of Taiwan.
In February 2025, in one of his first actions as President, President
Trump issued an executive order seeking to withdraw the United States
from several international organizations and calling for
recommendations on exiting the U.S. from its membership in certain
other organizations, including the IMF.
Clearly our ability to advocate for Taiwan at the IMF, to carry out
the purposes of this bill, is undermined by the fact that Donald Trump
is examining withdrawing us from the IMF. Setting aside the central
point that the President has no authority whatsoever to withdraw the
United States from international financial institutions, that review,
which is due in August, has not been completed.
While the IMF funding was included in the recent budget proposal,
comments by the administration and the Secretary of the Treasury
confirm that Trump has not decided whether to try to use what powers he
has as President to withdraw us from the IMF.
{time} 1600
Most significantly, Trump has refused to reiterate the policy that
the U.S. has had in place since 1979, standing with the people and
security of Taiwan. When asked if the U.S. will maintain its decades-
old commitment to Taiwan, Trump has repeatedly avoided the easy answer,
declaring loudly that he won't provide a direct response.
We should pass this bill, but we should also urge our President to
not undermine Taiwan and not undermine the world economy by talking
about withdrawing the United States from the IMF.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).
Mrs. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Wagner for yielding and
supporting my legislation. I would also like to thank Representative
Green of Texas for co-leading H.R. 910 and making this a bipartisan
effort.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 910, the
Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act.
This bill is simple. It requires the Treasury Department to advocate
for Taiwan to join the International Monetary Fund, or IMF.
Unfortunately, China has consistently blocked Taiwan's participation in
international forums, including IMF. China pursues these tactics
because they know that financial security is just as important as
military security.
Defense experts have identified that China could exploit Taiwan's
financial system by raising tariffs, short-selling stocks, and freezing
bank transfers. Joining the IMF would allow Taiwan to access resources
that promote financial resilience and deter China's economic coercion.
It has been the longstanding U.S. policy toward Taiwan to support its
membership in international organizations where statehood is not a
prerequisite. We must continue to advocate for Taiwan's voice to be
heard where membership is not possible. This principle has lasted
decades across Republican and Democratic administrations, and it has
repeatedly been reaffirmed in bills passed by this Congress.
Mr. Speaker, advocating for Taiwan's membership in the IMF would also
unlock access to other international financial institutions. The World
Bank, for instance, requires members to first be a part of the IMF.
I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 910 and send the
Taiwanese people a strong message of solidarity and support for their
democracy.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
myself the balance of my time to close.
H.R. 910 is a bipartisan bill that requires that the United States
use its vote and its voice at the IMF to support Taiwan's membership.
Taiwan has been an excellent contributor to the global economy and
should not be absent from organizations such as the IMF.
Congress should support this bill, and I urge my Republican
colleagues not only to urge that Donald Trump carry this bill out but
also support the people of Taiwan and support the role of the IMF as we
go forward.
I again recommend to my colleagues that they support this bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In
closing, Mr. Speaker, it is long overdue for Taiwan to receive the
recognition and representation it rightfully deserves at the IMF. I
urge all my colleagues to
[[Page H2865]]
join me in supporting H.R. 910, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 910, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________