IC 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1678 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 31, 2019 

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 

AN ACT 

To express United States support for Taiwan’s diplomatic 

alliances around the world. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taiwan Allies Inter3 national Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) 

4 Act of 2019’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find7 ings: 

8 (1) 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 on Taiwan’’. 

14 (2) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states 

15 that it is the policy of the United States ‘‘to main16 tain the capacity of the United States to resist any 

17 resort to force or other forms of coercion that would 

18 jeopardize the security, or the social or economic 

19 system, of the people on Taiwan’’. 

20 (3) Taiwan is a free, democratic, and pros21 perous nation of 23,000,000 people and an impor22 tant contributor to peace and stability around the 

23 world. 

24 (4) Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen 

25 as President of Taiwan in 2016, the Government of 


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1 the People’s Republic of China has intensified its ef2 forts to pressure Taiwan. 

3 (5) Since 2016, the Gambia, Sao Tome and 

4 Principe, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Burkina 

5 Faso, El Salvador, the Solomon Islands, and 

6 Kiribati have severed diplomatic relations with Tai7 wan in favor of diplomatic relations with China. 

8 (6) Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic 

9 relations with 15 nations around the world. 

10 (7) Taiwan’s unofficial relations with the 

11 United States, Australia, India, Japan, and other 

12 countries are of significant benefit in strengthening 

13 Taiwan’s economy and preserving its international 

14 space. 

15 (8) According to President Tsai Ing-wen, the 

16 severance of diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of 

17 diplomatic relations with China is ‘‘part of a series 

18 of diplomatic and military acts of coercion’’ by 

19 China. 

20 (9) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 

21 2018 (Public Law 115–409) states that— 

22 (A) it is United States policy ‘‘to support 

23 the close economic, political, and security rela24 tionship between Taiwan and the United 

25 States’’; and 


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1 (B) the President should— 

2 (i) ‘‘conduct regular transfers of de3 fense articles to Taiwan that are tailored 

4 to meet the existing and likely future 

5 threats from the People’s Republic of 

6 China, including supporting the efforts of 

7 Taiwan to develop and integrate asym8 metric capabilities, as appropriate, includ9 ing mobile, survivable, and cost-effective 

10 capabilities, into its military forces’’; and 

11 (ii) ‘‘encourage the travel of high-level 

12 United States officials to Taiwan, in ac13 cordance with the Taiwan Travel Act’’. 

14 SEC. 3. STRENGTHENING OF OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL 

15 TIES WITH TAIWAN. 

16 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con17 gress that the United States Government should— 

18 (1) support Taiwan in strengthening its official 

19 diplomatic relationships as well as unofficial partner20 ships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and 

21 around the world; 

22 (2) consider, in certain cases as appropriate 

23 and in alignment with United States interests, in24 creasing its economic, security, and diplomatic en25 gagement with nations that have demonstrably 


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1 strengthened, enhanced, or upgraded relations with 

2 Taiwan; and 

3 (3) consider, in certain cases as appropriate 

4 and in alignment with United States interests, re5 ducing its economic, security, and diplomatic en6 gagement with nations that take serious or signifi7 cant actions to undermine Taiwan. 

8 (b) CONSULTATION.—Not less than 30 days before 

9 increasing or decreasing the United States Government’s 

10 economic, security, or diplomatic engagement with another 

11 nation as a result of an action taken by that nation to 

12 either strengthen or undermine ties with Taiwan, the Sec13 retary of State shall consult with the appropriate congres14 sional committees with respect to the proposed United 

15 States action or actions. 

16 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 

17 shall be construed to supersede or otherwise alter obliga18 tions to comply with the notification procedures applicable 

19 to reprogramming pursuant to section 634A of the For20 eign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394–1). 

21 SEC. 4. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH REGARD TO 

22 TAIWAN’S PARTICIPATION IN INTER23 NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. 

24 It should be the policy of the United States— 

25 (1) to advocate, as appropriate— 


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1 (A) for Taiwan’s membership in all inter2 national organizations in which statehood is not 

3 a requirement and in which the United States 

4 is also a participant; and 

5 (B) for Taiwan to be granted observer sta6 tus in other appropriate international organiza7 tions; 

8 (2) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives 

9 of the United States Government in all organizations 

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

11 and influence of the United States to advocate for 

12 Taiwan’s membership or observer status in such or13 ganizations; and 

14 (3) for the President or the President’s des15 ignees to advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan’s 

16 membership or observer status in all organizations 

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

18 bilateral engagements between the United States 

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

20 summits and the U.S.-China Comprehensive Eco21 nomic Dialogue. 

22 SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TRADE NEGOTIATIONS 

23 WITH TAIWAN. 

24 It is the sense of Congress that the United States 

25 should engage in bilateral trade negotiations with Taiwan, 


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1 with the goal of entering into a free trade agreement that 

2 is of mutual economic benefit and that protects United 

3 States workers and benefits United States exporters. 

4 SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE5 FINED. 

6 In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com7 mittees’’ means— 

8 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 

9 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 

10 (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 

11 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep12 resentatives. 

Passed the Senate October 29, 2019. 

Attest: JULIE E. ADAMS, 

Secretary. 


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