Title: A resolution commending the people of Taiwan on holding free and fair democratic presidential and legislative elections, and congratulating Madame Tsai Ing-wen on her re-election to the presidency of Taiwan.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution commends the people of Taiwan for the holding of democratic elections and congratulates President Tsai Ing-wen on her reelection. The resolution calls on the United States to advocate for Taiwan's active participation in international organizations.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 510 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 510

  Commending the people of Taiwan on holding free and fair democratic 
presidential and legislative elections, and congratulating Madame Tsai 
        Ing-wen on her re-election to the presidency of Taiwan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 27, 2020

  Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Risch) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commending the people of Taiwan on holding free and fair democratic 
presidential and legislative elections, and congratulating Madame Tsai 
        Ing-wen on her re-election to the presidency of Taiwan.

Whereas the people of the United States and Taiwan enjoy extensive, close, and 
        friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations founded in shared 
        strategic interests and cemented by a commitment to democratic values;
Whereas Taiwan is a free, democratic, and prosperous nation of more than 
        23,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and stability 
        around the world, and its transformation into a robust democracy and a 
        strong free market economy with a vibrant civil society offers a model 
        for others in the Indo-Pacific;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), 
        signed into law on April 10, 1979, codified the basis for continued 
        commercial, cultural, security, and other relations between the people 
        of the United States and the people of Taiwan, serves as the foundation 
        to preserve and promote continued bilateral bonds, and states that it is 
        the policy of the United States--

    (1) to preserve and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, 
cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and 
the people of Taiwan, as well as the people on the China mainland and all 
other peoples of the Western Pacific area;

    (2) to declare that peace and stability in the area are in the 
political, security, and economic interests of the United States, and are 
matters of international concern;

    (3) to make clear that the United States decision to establish 
diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China rests upon the 
expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means;

    (4) to consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other 
than peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the 
peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the 
United States;

    (5) to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character; and

    (6) 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 of Taiwan;

Whereas the United States and Taiwan have built a strong economic partnership in 
        which--

    (1) the United States is Taiwan's second largest trading partner; and

    (2) Taiwan is the 10th largest trading partner of the United States and 
a key destination for United States agricultural exports;

Whereas the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan share deep 
        cultural and personal ties, as exemplified by the large flow of visitors 
        and exchanges each year and the over 23,000 Taiwanese students who study 
        in the United States;
Whereas the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural 
        Representative Office in the United States signed a memorandum of 
        understanding in June 2015 establishing the Global Cooperation and 
        Training Framework, under which Taiwan, the United States, and Japan 
        jointly sponsor training programs to share Taiwan's expertise with 
        partners around the world, including in the areas of public health, law 
        enforcement, disaster relief, energy cooperation, women's empowerment, 
        digital economy and cybersecurity, media literacy, and good governance;
Whereas, in 2019, the United States and Taiwan also launched Indo-Pacific 
        Democratic Governance Consultations, to help Indo-Pacific countries 
        address governance challenges, and a new Pacific Islands Dialogue, to 
        help meet the development needs of Taiwan's diplomatic partners in the 
        Pacific;
Whereas Taiwan has the expertise, willingness, and capability to engage further 
        in international efforts to mitigate global challenges related to such 
        issues as public health, aviation safety, crime, and terrorism, but its 
        participation in such efforts has been constrained by conditions imposed 
        by the People's Republic of China;
Whereas successive Congresses have directed the executive branch to develop 
        strategies to obtain meaningful participation for Taiwan in 
        international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, the 
        International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International 
        Criminal Police Organization (commonly known as ``INTERPOL'');
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409) states 
        that--

    (1) it is United States policy ``to support the close economic, 
political, and security relationship between Taiwan and the United 
States''; and

    (2) the President should--

    G    (A) ``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

    G    (B) ``encourage the travel of high-level United States officials 
to Taiwan, in accordance with the Taiwan Travel Act'';

Whereas, in presidential elections held on January 11, 2020, the incumbent 
        President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, won a second four-year term with the 
        most votes for a presidential candidate since Taiwan began direct 
        elections, winning 57.1 percent of the presidential vote; and
Whereas President Tsai stated in her acceptance speech: ``This election has 
        shown that the Taiwanese people hope the international community will 
        witness our commitment to democratic values and will respect our 
        national identity. We also hope that Taiwan will be given a fair 
        opportunity to participate in international affairs.'': Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commends the people of Taiwan on holding free and fair 
        democratic elections on January 11, 2020;
            (2) congratulates Madame Tsai Ing-wen on her re-election to 
        the presidency of Taiwan, wishes her well on her inauguration 
        on May 20, 2020, and pledges to deepen the relationship between 
        the peoples of the United States and Taiwan in her second term;
            (3) encourages the President to send a high-level official 
        delegation for President Tsai's second inauguration, consistent 
        with United States law;
            (4) calls upon the United States Government to advocate for 
        Taiwan's active participation in international organizations, 
        including the World Health Organization, the International 
        Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Criminal 
        Police Organization; and
            (5) encourages United States financial support to enhance 
        Taiwan's international participation through the Global 
        Cooperation and Training Framework in recognition of our shared 
        commitment to an open, free, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region 
        and beyond.
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