Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4754 To express United States support for Taiwan’s diplomatic alliances around the world. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 18, 2019 Mr. CURTIS (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. SIRES, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, and Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To express United States support for Taiwan’s diplomatic alliances around the world. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taiwan Allies Inter- 4 national Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) 5 Act of 2019’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4754 IH SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. 1 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find- 2 ings: 3 (1) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public 4 Law 96–8) states that it is the policy of the United 5 States ‘‘to preserve and promote extensive, close, 6 and friendly commercial, cultural, and other rela- 7 tions between the people of the United States and 8 the people on Taiwan’’. 9 (2) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states 10 that it is the policy of the United States ‘‘to main- 11 tain the capacity of the United States to resist any 12 resort to force or other forms of coercion that would 13 jeopardize the security, or the social or economic 14 system, of the people on Taiwan’’. 15 (3) Taiwan is a free, democratic, and pros- 16 perous nation of 23,000,000 people and an impor- 17 tant contributor to peace and stability around the 18 world. 19 (4) Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen 20 as President of Taiwan in 2016, the Government of 21 the People’s Republic of China has intensified its ef- 22 forts to pressure Taiwan. 23 (5) Since 2016, the Gambia, Sao Tome and 24 Principe, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Burkina 25 Faso, El Salvador, the Solomon Islands, and 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4754 IH Kiribati have severed diplomatic relations with Tai- 1 wan in favor of diplomatic relations with China. 2 (6) Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic 3 relations with 15 nations around the world. 4 (7) Taiwan’s unofficial relations with the 5 United States, Australia, India, Japan, and other 6 countries are of significant benefit in strengthening 7 Taiwan’s economy and preserving its international 8 space. 9 (8) According to President Tsai Ing-wen, the 10 severance of diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of 11 diplomatic relations with China is ‘‘part of a series 12 of diplomatic and military acts of coercion’’ by 13 China. 14 (9) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 15 2018 (Public Law 115–409) states that— 16 (A) it is United States policy ‘‘to support 17 the close economic, political, and security rela- 18 tionship between Taiwan and the United 19 States’’; and 20 (B) the President should— 21 (i) ‘‘conduct regular transfers of de- 22 fense articles to Taiwan that are tailored 23 to meet the existing and likely future 24 threats from the People’s Republic of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4754 IH China, including supporting the efforts of 1 Taiwan to develop and integrate asym- 2 metric capabilities, as appropriate, includ- 3 ing mobile, survivable, and cost-effective 4 capabilities, into its military forces’’; and 5 (ii) ‘‘encourage the travel of high-level 6 United States officials to Taiwan, in ac- 7 cordance with the Taiwan Travel Act’’. 8 SEC. 3. STRENGTHENING OF OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL 9 TIES WITH TAIWAN. 10 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 11 gress that the United States Government should— 12 (1) support Taiwan in strengthening its official 13 diplomatic relationships as well as unofficial partner- 14 ships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and 15 around the world; 16 (2) consider, in certain cases as appropriate 17 and in alignment with United States interests, in- 18 creasing its economic, security, and diplomatic en- 19 gagement with nations that have demonstrably 20 strengthened, enhanced, or upgraded relations with 21 Taiwan; and 22 (3) consider, in certain cases as appropriate 23 and in alignment with United States interests, re- 24 ducing its economic, security, and diplomatic en- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 4754 IH gagement with nations that take serious or signifi- 1 cant actions to undermine Taiwan. 2 (b) CONSULTATION.—Not less than 30 days before 3 increasing or decreasing the United States Government’s 4 economic, security, or diplomatic engagement with another 5 nation as a result of an action taken by that nation to 6 either strengthen or undermine ties with Taiwan, the Sec- 7 retary of State shall consult with the appropriate congres- 8 sional committees with respect to the proposed United 9 States action or actions. 10 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 11 shall be construed to supersede or otherwise alter obliga- 12 tions to comply with the notification procedures applicable 13 to reprogramming pursuant to section 634A of the For- 14 eign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394–1). 15 SEC. 4. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH REGARD TO 16 TAIWAN’S PARTICIPATION IN INTER- 17 NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. 18 It should be the policy of the United States— 19 (1) to advocate, as appropriate— 20 (A) for Taiwan’s membership in all inter- 21 national organizations in which statehood is not 22 a requirement and in which the United States 23 is also a participant; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 4754 IH (B) for Taiwan to be granted observer sta- 1 tus in other appropriate international organiza- 2 tions; 3 (2) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives 4 of the United States Government in all organizations 5 described in paragraph (1) to use the voice, vote, 6 and influence of the United States to advocate for 7 Taiwan’s membership or observer status in such or- 8 ganizations; and 9 (3) for the President or the President’s des- 10 ignees to advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan’s 11 membership or observer status in all organizations 12 described in paragraph (1) as part of any relevant 13 bilateral engagements between the United States 14 and the People’s Republic of China, including leader 15 summits and the U.S.-China Comprehensive Eco- 16 nomic Dialogue. 17 SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS 18 WITH TAIWAN. 19 It is the sense of Congress that the United States 20 should engage in bilateral trade negotiations with Taiwan, 21 with the goal of entering into a free trade agreement that 22 is of mutual economic benefit and that protects United 23 States workers and benefits United States exporters. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 4754 IH SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE- 1 FINED. 2 In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com- 3 mittees’’ means— 4 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 5 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 6 (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 7 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep- 8 resentatives. 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4754.IH H4754 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS