Title: Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019
This bill directs the Department of State to periodically report to Congress on U.S. actions to affirm and strengthen Taiwan's international alliances around the world. Each report shall discuss specific countries of concern and contain a plan for engaging with countries to increase cooperation with respect to Taiwan. (Taiwan is self-governing, but China considers it a renegade province and has taken actions to encourage countries and international organizations to limit or cut off relations with Taiwan.)
The bill authorizes the State Department to take various actions in response to nations acting to undermine Taiwan, including adjusting U.S. diplomatic presence or the level of U.S. assistance in such countries. The State Department shall consult with Congress before taking such actions.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1678 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1678

  To express United States support for Taiwan's diplomatic alliances 
                           around the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                 May 23 (legislative day, May 22), 2019

    Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Cornyn) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To express United States support for Taiwan's diplomatic alliances 
                           around the world.

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

SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8) 
        states that it is the policy of the United States ``to preserve 
        and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, 
        cultural, and other relations between the people of the United 
        States and the people on Taiwan''.
            (2) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that it is the 
        policy of the United States ``to maintain the capacity of the 
        United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of 
        coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or 
        economic system, of the people on Taiwan''.
            (3) Taiwan is a free, democratic, and prosperous nation of 
        23,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and 
        stability around the world.
            (4) Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen as 
        President of Taiwan in 2016, the Government of the People's 
        Republic of China has intensified its efforts to pressure 
        Taiwan.
            (5) Since 2016, the Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, 
        the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, and El Salvador have 
        severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of diplomatic 
        relations with China.
            (6) Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic relations 
        with 17 nations around the world.
            (7) According to President Tsai Ing-wen, the severance of 
        diplomatic ties is ``part of a series of diplomatic and 
        military acts of coercion''.
            (8) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 
        115-409) states that--
                    (A) it is United States policy ``to support the 
                close economic, political, and security relationship 
                between Taiwan and the United States''; and
                    (B) the President should--
                            (i) ``conduct regular transfers of defense 
                        articles to Taiwan that are tailored to meet 
                        the existing and likely future threats from the 
                        People's Republic of China, including 
                        supporting the efforts of Taiwan to develop and 
                        integrate asymmetric capabilities, as 
                        appropriate, including mobile, survivable, and 
                        cost-effective capabilities, into its military 
                        forces''; and
                            (ii) ``encourage the travel of high-level 
                        United States officials to Taiwan, in 
                        accordance with the Taiwan Travel Act''.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON UNITED STATES STRATEGY REGARDING TAIWAN'S 
              INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of 
State or a designee of the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on actions taken by the United States 
to reaffirm and strengthen Taiwan's international alliances around the 
world.
    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following elements:
            (1) A description of the actions taken by the Secretary of 
        State, or designees of the Secretary, effective May 20, 2016, 
        to consult with governments around the world, including the 
        governments that maintain official diplomatic relations with 
        Taiwan, with the purpose of inducing those governments to 
        maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan or otherwise 
        strengthen unofficial relations with Taiwan.
            (2) An enumeration of specific countries of concern, if 
        any, and a description of the actions taken, or actions 
        anticipated, by those governments, commencing May 20, 2016, to 
        alter the formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan or to otherwise 
        downgrade official or unofficial relations.
            (3) A plan of action to engage with the governments of the 
        countries identified in paragraphs (1) and (2) and increase 
        cooperation with respect to Taiwan.
    (c) Form of Report.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION TO CONSIDER MODIFICATION OF UNITED STATES 
              DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE WITH NATIONS TAKING ACTIONS TO 
              UNDERMINE TAIWAN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State may consider taking such 
action to modify United States diplomatic presence as necessary and 
appropriate to provide incentives to countries considering or taking 
steps to alter or downgrade official or unofficial ties with Taiwan.
    (b) Actions Included.--Actions described in subsection (a) may 
include--
            (1) supplementing or reducing the appropriate diplomatic 
        presence in the United States of countries identified pursuant 
        to section 3 as having taken, or anticipating, actions to alter 
        formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan or otherwise downgrade 
        relations; and
            (2) supplementing or reducing the diplomatic presence of 
        the United States in those countries.
    (c) Consultation.--Not less than 30 days before taking any action 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate 
congressional committees with respect to the action.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION TO CONSIDER ADJUSTMENT OF UNITED STATES 
              ASSISTANCE TO NATIONS TAKING ACTIONS TO UNDERMINE TAIWAN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State may consider the expansion, 
termination, or reduction of United States foreign assistance to 
countries identified pursuant to section 3 as having taken, or 
anticipating, actions to alter or downgrade official or unofficial ties 
with Taiwan or otherwise downgrade relations.
    (b) Assistance Included.--Assistance for consideration under 
subsection (a) may include--
            (1) assistance under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the 
        Economic Support Fund);
            (2) military assistance provided pursuant to section 23 of 
        the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating to the 
        Foreign Military Financing Program); and
            (3) assistance provided under chapter 5 of part II of the 
        Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.; 
        relating to international military education and training).
    (c) Consultation.--Not less than 30 days before taking any action 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate 
congressional committees with respect to the action, as well as comply 
with the notification procedures applicable to reprogramming pursuant 
to section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394-
1).

SEC. 6. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH REGARD TO TAIWAN'S 
              PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

    It should be the policy of the United States--
            (1) to advocate, as appropriate--
                    (A) for Taiwan's membership in all international 
                organizations in which statehood is not a requirement 
                and in which the United States is also a participant; 
                and
                    (B) for Taiwan to be granted observer status in 
                other appropriate international organizations;
            (2) to instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the 
        United States Government in all organizations described in 
        paragraph (1) to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
        advocate for Taiwan's membership or observer status in such 
        organizations; and
            (3) for the President or the President's designees to 
        advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan's membership or observer 
        status in all organizations described in paragraph (1) as part 
        of any relevant bilateral engagements between the United States 
        and the People's Republic of China, including leader summits 
        and the U.S.-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.

SEC. 7. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
                                 <all>