I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8452 

To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain membership 

status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 17, 2024 

Mr. GOODEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. OGLES, Mr. TIFFANY, 

Mr. BIGGS, Mr. BABIN, Mr. WEBER of Texas, and Mr. SESSIONS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to 

obtain membership status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taiwan Interpol En5 dorsement and Inclusion Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE INTER2 NATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZA3 TION. 

4 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find5 ings: 

6 (1) Taiwan is an important contributor to peace 

7 and stability around the world. 

8 (2) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public 

9 Law 96–8) states that it is the policy of the United 

10 States ‘‘to preserve and promote extensive, close, 

11 and friendly commercial, cultural, and other rela12 tions between the people of the United States and 

13 the people of Taiwan’’. 

14 (3) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Pol15 icy Review, declared its intention to support Tai16 wan’s participation in appropriate international or17 ganizations and has consistently reiterated that sup18 port. 

19 (4) Following the enactment of Public Law 

20 108–235, a law authorizing the Secretary of State to 

21 initiate and implement a plan to endorse and obtain 

22 observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of 

23 the World Health Assembly and subsequent advo24 cacy by the United States, Taiwan was granted ob25 server status to the World Health Assembly between 

26 2009-2016 under the name ‘‘Chinese Taipei’’. Both 


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1 prior to and in its capacity as an observer, Taiwan 

2 contributed significantly to the international commu3 nity’s collective efforts in pandemic control, moni4 toring, early warning, and other related matters. 

5 Since 2016, the World Health Assembly has rejected 

6 any bids for Taiwan’s inclusion as an observer. 

7 (5) Safety, security, and peace is important to 

8 every citizen of the world, and shared information 

9 ensuring wide assistance among police authorities of 

10 nations for expeditious dissemination of information 

11 regarding criminal activities greatly assists in these 

12 efforts. 

13 (6) Direct and unobstructed participation in the 

14 International Criminal Police Organization 

15 (Interpol) is beneficial for all nations and their po16 lice authorities. Internationally shared information 

17 with authorized police authorities are vital to peace18 keeping efforts. 

19 (7) With a history dating back to 1914, the role 

20 of Interpol is defined in its constitution: ‘‘To ensure 

21 and promote the widest possible mutual assistance 

22 between all criminal police authorities within the 

23 limits of the laws existing in the different countries 

24 and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of 

25 Human Rights.’’. 


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1 (8) Ongoing international threats, including 

2 international networks of terrorism, show the ongo3 ing necessity to be ever inclusive of nations willing 

4 to work together to combat criminal activity. The 

5 ability of police authorities to coordinate, preempt, 

6 and act swiftly and in unison is an essential element 

7 of crisis prevention and response. 

8 (9) Taiwan maintained full membership in 

9 Interpol starting in 1964 through its National Police 

10 Administration but was ejected in 1984 when the 

11 People’s Republic of China (PRC) applied for mem12 bership. 

13 (10) Nonmembership in Interpol prevents Tai14 wan from gaining access to Interpol’s I–24/7 global 

15 police communications system, which provides real16 time information on criminals and global criminal 

17 activities. Taiwan is relegated to second-hand infor18 mation from friendly nations, including the United 

19 States. 

20 (11) Taiwan is unable to swiftly share informa21 tion on criminals and suspicious activity with the 

22 international community, leaving a huge void in the 

23 global crime-fighting efforts and leaving the entire 

24 world at risk. 


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1 (12) Interpol’s constitution allows for observers 

2 at its meetings by ‘‘police bodies which are not mem3 bers of the Organization’’. 

4 (b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It should be the policy 

5 of the United States— 

6 (1) to advocate, as appropriate— 

7 (A) for Taiwan’s membership in all inter8 national organizations, including Interpol, and 

9 in which the United States is also a participant; 

10 and 

11 (B) for Taiwan to be granted full member12 ship status in other appropriate international 

13 organizations; 

14 (2) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives 

15 of the United States Government in all organizations 

16 described in paragraph (1) to use the voice, vote, 

17 and influence of the United States to advocate for 

18 Taiwan’s membership or observer status in such or19 ganizations; and 

20 (3) for the President or the President’s des21 ignees to advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan’s 

22 membership or observer status in all organizations 

23 described in paragraph (1) as part of any relevant 

24 bilateral engagements between the United States 

25 and the People’s Republic of China, including leader 


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1 summits and the U.S.-China Comprehensive Eco2 nomic Dialogue. 

3 (c) TAIWAN’S PARTICIPATION IN INTERPOL.—The 

4 Secretary of State shall— 

5 (1) develop a strategy to— 

6 (A) obtain membership status for Taiwan 

7 in Interpol and at other related meetings, ac8 tivities, and mechanisms thereafter; 

9 (B) encourage meaningful interaction, in10 cluding information sharing, with U.S. National 

11 Central Bureau (Interpol Washington) and Tai12 wan on issues related to global crime fighting; 

13 (C) involve Taiwan in Interpol meetings, 

14 events, and related activities; and 

15 (D) in certain cases as appropriate and in 

16 alignment with United States interests, assist 

17 Taiwan in increasing its economic, security, and 

18 diplomatic engagement with countries in the 

19 Indo-Pacific region and around the world; and 

20 (2) instruct Interpol Washington to officially re21 quest membership status for Taiwan in Interpol and 

22 to actively urge Interpol member states to support 

23 such membership status and participation for Tai24 wan. 


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1 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 

3 coordination with Interpol Washington, shall transmit to 

4 Congress a report, in unclassified form, describing the 

5 United States strategy to endorse and obtain observer sta6 tus or membership status for Taiwan in appropriate inter7 national organizations, including Interpol, and at other re8 lated meetings, activities, and mechanisms thereafter. The 

9 report shall include the following: 

10 (1) A description of the efforts the Secretary 

11 has made to encourage member states to promote 

12 Taiwan’s bids to obtain observer status or member13 ship status in appropriate international organiza14 tions, including Interpol. 

15 (2) A description of the actions the Secretary 

16 will take to endorse and obtain observer status or 

17 membership status for Taiwan in appropriate inter18 national organizations, including Interpol, and at 

19 other related meetings, activities, and mechanisms 

20 thereafter. 

21 SEC. 3. REPORT. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the U.S. National Cen24 tral Bureau (Interpol Washington) shall submit to the 

25 Committee on the Judiciary of the House of RepresentaVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 Jul 03, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8452.IH H8452

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1 tives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate 

2 a report on any and all threats posed to Taiwan’s criminal 

3 intelligence as a result of their non-member and non-ob4 server status in the International Criminal Police Organi5 zation (Interpol) and, therefore, Taiwan’s lack of access 

6 to Interpol communications and data. 

7 (b) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 

8 shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain 

9 a classified annex. 

Æ 


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