Title: Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019
This bill directs the President to review the Department of State's guidance on diplomatic practice with Taiwan and to reissue such guidance to the relevant executive branch departments and agencies. It also directs the President to report to Congress on the results of the review and on the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act, which states that it is U.S. policy to allow and encourage engagement between U.S. and Taiwanese officials.
The Department of Defense shall make efforts to include Taiwanese forces in bilateral and multilateral military exercises to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities.
The bill states that Taiwan is an important part of U.S. strategy in the region and urges the United States to conduct regular transfers of defense articles to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.


[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 878 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 878

         To foster security in Taiwan, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 26, 2019

Mr. Cotton (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Cortez 
  Masto, and Mr. Coons) introduced the following bill; which was read 
        twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
         To foster security in Taiwan, and for other purposes.

    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 Assurance Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) April 10, 2019, marks the 40th anniversary of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8).
            (2) Since 1949, the close relationship between the United 
        States and Taiwan has been of enormous benefit to both parties 
        and to the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.
            (3) The security of Taiwan and its democracy are key 
        elements for the continued peace and stability of the greater 
        Indo-Pacific region, and a vital national security interest of 
        the United States.
            (4) The military balance of power across the Taiwan Strait 
        continues to shift in favor of the People's Republic of China, 
        which is currently engaged in a comprehensive military 
        modernization campaign to enhance the power-projection 
        capabilities of the People's Liberation Army and its ability to 
        conduct joint operations.
            (5) Taiwan and its diplomatic partners continue to face 
        sustained pressure and coercion from the Government of the 
        People's Republic of China to isolate Taiwan from the 
        international community.
            (6) It is the policy of the United States to reinforce its 
        commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act in a 
        manner consistent with the ``Six Assurances'' and in accordance 
        with the United States ``One China'' policy as both governments 
        work to improve bilateral relations.
            (7) In the Taiwan Travel Act, which became law on March 16, 
        2018, Congress observed that the ``self-imposed restrictions 
        that the United States maintains'' on relations with Taiwan 
        have negative consequences for the United States-Taiwan 
        relationship.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Taiwan is a vital part of the United States Free and 
        Open Indo-Pacific Strategy;
            (2) the United States Government--
                    (A) supports Taiwan's implementation of its 
                asymmetric defense strategy; and
                    (B) urges Taiwan to increase its defense spending 
                in order to fully resource its defense strategy;
            (3) the United States should conduct regular transfers of 
        defense articles to Taiwan in order to enhance its self-defense 
        capabilities, particularly its efforts to develop and integrate 
        asymmetric capabilities, including undersea warfare and air 
        defense capabilities, into its military forces; and
            (4) in 2019, the United State Trade Representative should 
        resume meetings under the United States and Taiwan Trade and 
        Investment Framework Agreement with the goal of reaching a 
        bilateral free trade agreement.

SEC. 4. TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
People's Republic of China's attempts to exclude Taiwan from 
international organizations--
            (1) are detrimental to global health, civilian air safety, 
        and efforts to counter transnational crime; and
            (2) are a national security concern of the United States.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to 
advocate for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations, 
the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation 
Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, and other 
international bodies as appropriate.

SEC. 5. REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE TAIWAN GUIDELINES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President shall conduct a review of the 
Department of State's guidance on diplomatic practice with Taiwan, 
including the periodic memorandum entitled ``Guidelines on Relations 
with Taiwan'' and related documents, and reissue the guidance to 
executive branch agencies and offices.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Department of State's guidance regarding relations with Taiwan--
            (1) should be crafted with the intent to deepen and expand 
        United States-Taiwan relations, and be based on the value, 
        merits, and importance of the United States-Taiwan 
        relationship;
            (2) should acknowledge the reality that Taiwan is governed 
        by a representative democratic government that is peacefully 
        constituted through free and fair elections that reflect the 
        will of the people of Taiwan, and that Taiwan is a free and 
        open society that respects universal human rights and 
        democratic values; and
            (3) should ensure that any distinctions in diplomatic 
        practice regarding relations with Taiwan must be consistent 
        with the longstanding, comprehensive, strategic, and values-
        based relationship the United States shares with Taiwan, and 
        contribute to the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

SEC. 6. ENHANCING THE U.S.-TAIWAN DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that it should 
be the policy of the Department of Defense to support Taiwan's 
asymmetric defense strategy, including the development of Taiwan's 
undersea warfare and air defense capabilities.
    (b) Required Department of Defense Actions.--The Secretary of 
Defense shall make efforts to include Taiwanese forces in bilateral and 
multilateral military exercises, as appropriate, to bolster Taiwan's 
defense capabilities.
    (c) Defense Attache.--The Chief of the Liaison Affairs section at 
the American Institute in Taiwan shall be a general or flag officer.

SEC. 7. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives that includes a description of--
            (1) the results of the President's review of guidance on 
        diplomatic practice with Taiwan, including a copy of the 
        reissued ``Guidelines of Relations with Taiwan'' memorandum; 
        and
            (2) the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 
        115-135).
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