Title: A concurrent resolution reaffirming the United States commitment to Taiwan and to the implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This concurrent resolution affirms that the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances will remain cornerstones of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. It encourages increasing engagement between the United States and Taiwan and states that the President should conduct regular transfers of defense articles to Taiwan. (The United States made the Six Assurances to Taiwan in 1982, stating that it will not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China and that it has not agreed to consult with China prior to any arms sales to Taiwan.)

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 13 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 13

     Reaffirming the United States commitment to Taiwan and to the 
              implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 4, 2019

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Reaffirming the United States commitment to Taiwan and to the 
              implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act.

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act (referred to in this resolution as the 
        ``TRA''), which was signed into law on April 10, 1979, codified into law 
        the basis for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations 
        between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan, and 
        serves as the foundation to preserve and promote continued bilateral 
        bonds;
Whereas the TRA enshrines the United States commitment to make available to 
        Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as 
        may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense 
        capability;
Whereas pursuant to section 1206 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
        Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228; 22 U.S.C. 2321k note), Taiwan is 
        to be treated as though it were designated a major non-NATO ally for 
        transfers of defense articles or defense services;
Whereas in 1982, President Ronald Reagan further clarified the importance and 
        resilience of the United States-Taiwan relationship by agreeing to the 
        Six Assurances;
Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances are cornerstones of United States policy 
        with respect to Taiwan, as was reaffirmed--

    (1) by the House of Representatives with the adoption of H. Con. Res. 
88 on May 16, 2016; and

    (2) by the Senate with the adoption of S. Con. Res. 38 on July 6, 2016;

Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances have been essential components in helping 
        to maintain peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific, 
        thereby furthering the political, security, and economic interests of 
        the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have forged ever closer economic and 
        security relations during the last 4 decades based on--

    (1) their shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of 
law, and free market principles; and

    (2) their willingness to partner in efforts to combat global terrorism 
and to address other global challenges, such as challenges related to the 
environment, public health, energy security, education, women's 
empowerment, digital economy, poverty, and natural disasters;

Whereas the United States-Taiwan global partnership was further strengthened in 
        June 2015, with a memorandum of understanding between the American 
        Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative 
        Office in the United States, which established the Global Cooperation 
        and Training Framework, and has allowed the 2 parties to cohost many 
        workshops on critical topics, including a December 2018 workshop on 
        humanitarian assistance and disaster relief that was attended by 10 
        regional governments;
Whereas Taiwan has the expertise, willingness, and capability to engage 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 called upon 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 House of Representatives passed H.R. 353 on January 22, 2019, which 
        expresses support for Taiwan's participation at the World Health 
        Organization's World Health Assembly as an observer;
Whereas communication on bilateral security, cultural, and commercial interests 
        would be greatly enhanced with the full implementation of the Taiwan 
        Travel Act (Public Law 115-135), which was signed into law on March 16, 
        2018, and which states ``the United States Government should encourage 
        visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all 
        levels'';
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have built a strong economic partnership in 
        which--

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

    (2) Taiwan is the 11th largest trading partner of the United States and 
a key destination for United States agricultural exports;

Whereas strong United States-Taiwan economic relations have been a positive 
        factor in stimulating economic growth and job creation for the people of 
        the United States and of Taiwan; and
Whereas successive Congresses have publicly reaffirmed United States commitments 
        to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances, including 
        most recently on December 31, 2018, with the enactment into law of the 
        Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409), which 
        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'': Now, therefore, be 
it

    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) reaffirms that the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six 
        Assurances are, and will remain, cornerstones of United States 
        relations with Taiwan;
            (2) encourages United States officials at all levels to 
        travel to meet with their counterparts in Taiwan, and for high-
        level Taiwan officials to enter the United States and meet with 
        United States officials, in accordance with the Taiwan Travel 
        Act;
            (3) reiterates that the President should conduct regular 
        transfers of defense articles to Taiwan consistent with 
        Taiwan's national security requirements in accordance with 
        existing law, including the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 
        2018 (Public Law 115-409);
            (4) calls upon the Secretary of State to actively engage 
        internationally in support of Taiwan's meaningful participation 
        in international organizations engaged in addressing 
        transnational threats and challenges such as those related to 
        health, aviation security, and crime and terrorism;
            (5) recognizes Taiwan's partnership in combating global 
        terrorism, including as a full partner in the Global Coalition 
        to Defeat ISIS, and in addressing other global challenges 
        through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and 
        similar initiatives;
            (6) urges the President to explore opportunities to expand 
        and deepen bilateral economic and trade relations with Taiwan;
            (7) underscores the importance of the close people-to-
        people ties cultivated through initiatives such as the 
        Fulbright Program, which has supported thousands of scholar and 
        grantee exchanges between the United States and Taiwan for 60 
        years;
            (8) welcomes the inclusion of Taiwan into the United States 
        visa waiver program and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 
        Global Entry Program to make it easier for those traveling from 
        Taiwan to visit the United States; and
            (9) acknowledges the important work done by the American 
        Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural 
        Representative Office in support of United States-Taiwan 
        interests.
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