A resolution commending the Government of Lithuania for its resolve in increasing ties with Taiwan and supporting its firm stance against coercion by the Chinese Communist Party.

Bill: 117-sres-446
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2021-11-04
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances

Asia

China

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Europe

International organizations and cooperation

Lithuania

Taiwan

U.S. and foreign investments
Latest action: action_date: 2022-04-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 341.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-11-04
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution commends the government of Lithuania for its decision to deepen ties with Taiwan and standing up to the coercion and pressure towards Lithuania by the Chinese Communist Party. </p> <p>The resolution also commits to supporting Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of these challenges, including by exploring ways to increase economic cooperation with both countries.</p>

action_date: 2022-04-06
action_desc: Reported to Senate
text: <p>This resolution commends the government of Lithuania for its decision to deepen ties with Taiwan and standing up to the coercion and pressure towards Lithuania by the Chinese Communist Party. </p> <p>The resolution also commits to supporting Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of these challenges, including by exploring ways to increase economic cooperation with both countries.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 446 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 4, 2021 Mr. Risch (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Commending the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for its resolve in increasing ties with Taiwan and supporting its firm stance against coercion by the Chinese Communist Party.

Whereas, on May 20, 2021, the parliament of Lithuania passed a resolution in which it recognized the People's Republic of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and members of Muslim and minority communities in Xinjiang region as a genocide, called upon the United Nations to investigate the People's Republic of China’s internment camps for Uyghurs, and asked the European Commission to review its relationship with the People's Republic of China; Whereas, on May 21, 2021, Lithuania withdrew from the 17+1 format that facilitates collaboration between Central and Eastern European nations and the People’s Republic of China; Whereas the 17+1 was designed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to both create business and cultural exchange opportunities for the People’s Republic of China, and to divide European nations on sub-regional issues regarding the People’s Republic of China; Whereas, on June 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced its donation of 20,000 COVID–19 vaccines to Taiwan after the People’s Republic of China blocked Taiwan from participation in the world-wide COVAX vaccine sharing scheme; Whereas, on July 20, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced the establishment of exchange offices with Taiwan under the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office; Whereas the CCP has aggressively punished other organizations and nations for using the name Taiwan to refer to the island, rather than referring to it by the CCP preferred Chinese Taipei , a practice by which the CCP seeks to force other nations to conform to its view that Taiwan is a part of China; Whereas, in retaliation to the Government of Lithuania’s announcement of the Taiwanese Representative Office, the CCP implemented severe economic restrictions on Lithuania; Whereas, on August 10, 2021, the Government of the People's Republic of China protested the announcement of the new Lithuanian office in Taiwan by recalling its ambassador to Vilnius, and demanding that Lithuania remove its ambassador from Beijing; Whereas, on September 4, 2021, Lithuania’s Ambassador to China, Diana Mickevičienė, returned to Vilnius; Whereas Lithuania’s European neighbors and European Union (EU) leaders have commended Lithuania’s bravery and have expressed willingness to stand in solidarity with Lithuania’s decision, including by issuing a joint letter from European Parliament members on September 3, 2021; Whereas, on September 15, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the United States commitment to Lithuania, stating, Lithuania and the United States are very strong partners in NATO. We stand together for collective defense and security. We stand against economic coercion, including that being exerted by China. ; Whereas, on September 21, 2021, the Ministry of National Defence in Lithuania recommended that citizens not purchase phones manufactured in the People's Republic of China and throw away their existing phones, after evidence emerged that the devices have censorship technology built in; Whereas, on September 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced an additional vaccine donation to Taiwan totaling 235,900 doses; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has engaged in economic coercion to punish countries that do not do as the CCP wishes, including by banning the import of Australian wine and agricultural products after the Government of Australia supported launching an international investigation into the origins of the COVID–19 pandemic, closing South Korean department stores and tourism after the Republic of Korea deployed the United States Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile battery, restricting imports from the Philippines after that nation protested the People's Republic of China’s assertive and unlawful actions in Scarborough Shoal, and cutting the imports of Norwegian salmon after Norway awarded a Chinese dissident with the Nobel Prize; Whereas the CCP regularly uses its economic power to pressure Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to cut ties with the island and instead diplomatically recognize the People's Republic of China, as it did most recently with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, leaving Taiwan with just 15 diplomatic allies; and Whereas the CCP has repeatedly and continuously barred Taiwan from meaningful participation in key international organizations such as the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and other United Nations organizations and affiliated mechanisms in an attempt to diplomatically isolate Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) commends the Government of Lithuania for its decision to deepen ties with Taiwan and standing up to the Chinese Communist Party’s unfair coercion and pressure; (2) commits to supporting Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of these challenges, including by exploring ways to increase economic cooperation with both countries; (3) encourages European allies to continue to stand in solidarity with Lithuania against aggression from the Government of the People’s Republic of China; (4) encourages the Lithuanian business community to continue to seek opportunities for investment and growth with reliable partners outside of the People’s Republic of China’s abusive economic system; (5) expresses concern with the CCP’s aggressive actions and attempts to influence bilateral relations between governments attempting to build positive ties with Taiwan, a beacon of democracy in the Indo-Pacific and a key United States partner; and (6) supports Taiwan in its struggle against CCP malign influence, coercion, and aggression, which threatens not only the Taiwanese people and countries in the Indo-Pacific, but also any nation around the world that enacts policies or positions that are inconsistent with those of the CCP.

tv_txt: III Calendar No. 341 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 446 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 4, 2021 Mr. Risch (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen , Mr. Coons , and Mr. Cardin ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations April 6, 2022 Reported by Mr. Menendez , with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic RESOLUTION Commending the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for its resolve in increasing ties with Taiwan and supporting its firm stance against coercion by the Chinese Communist Party.

Whereas, on May 20, 2021, the parliament of Lithuania passed a resolution in which it recognized the People's Republic of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and members of Muslim and minority communities in Xinjiang region as a genocide, called upon the United Nations to investigate the People's Republic of China’s internment camps for Uyghurs, and asked the European Commission to review its relationship with the People's Republic of China; Whereas, on May 21, 2021, Lithuania withdrew from the 17+1 format that facilitates collaboration between Central and Eastern European nations and the People’s Republic of China; Whereas the 17+1 was designed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to both create business and cultural exchange opportunities for the People’s Republic of China, and to divide European nations on sub-regional issues regarding the People’s Republic of China; Whereas, on June 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced its donation of 20,000 COVID–19 vaccines to Taiwan after the People’s Republic of China blocked Taiwan from participation in the world-wide COVAX vaccine sharing scheme; Whereas, on July 20, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced the establishment of exchange offices with Taiwan under the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office; Whereas the CCP has aggressively punished other organizations and nations for using the name Taiwan to refer to the island, rather than referring to it by the CCP preferred Chinese Taipei , a practice by which the CCP seeks to force other nations to conform to its view that Taiwan is a part of China; Whereas, in retaliation to the Government of Lithuania’s announcement of the Taiwanese Representative Office, the CCP implemented severe economic restrictions on Lithuania; Whereas, on August 10, 2021, the Government of the People's Republic of China protested the announcement of the new Lithuanian office in Taiwan by recalling its ambassador to Vilnius, and demanding that Lithuania remove its ambassador from Beijing; Whereas, on September 4, 2021, Lithuania’s Ambassador to China, Diana Mickevičienė, returned to Vilnius; Whereas Lithuania’s European neighbors and European Union (EU) leaders have commended Lithuania’s bravery and have expressed willingness to stand in solidarity with Lithuania’s decision, including by issuing a joint letter from European Parliament members on September 3, 2021; Whereas, on September 15, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the United States commitment to Lithuania, stating, Lithuania and the United States are very strong partners in NATO. We stand together for collective defense and security. We stand against economic coercion, including that being exerted by China. ; Whereas, on September 21, 2021, the Ministry of National Defence in Lithuania recommended that citizens not purchase phones manufactured in the People's Republic of China and throw away their existing phones, after evidence emerged that the devices have censorship technology built in; Whereas, on September 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced an additional vaccine donation to Taiwan totaling 235,900 doses; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has engaged in economic coercion to punish countries that do not do as the CCP wishes, including by banning the import of Australian wine and agricultural products after the Government of Australia supported launching an international investigation into the origins of the COVID–19 pandemic, closing South Korean department stores and tourism after the Republic of Korea deployed the United States Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile battery, restricting imports from the Philippines after that nation protested the People's Republic of China’s assertive and unlawful actions in Scarborough Shoal, and cutting the imports of Norwegian salmon after Norway awarded a Chinese dissident with the Nobel Prize; Whereas the CCP regularly uses its economic power to pressure Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to cut ties with the island and instead diplomatically recognize the People's Republic of China, as it did most recently with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, leaving Taiwan with just 15 diplomatic allies; and Whereas the CCP has repeatedly and continuously barred Taiwan from meaningful participation in key international organizations such as the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and other United Nations organizations and affiliated mechanisms in an attempt to diplomatically isolate Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it Whereas, on May 20, 2021, the parliament of Lithuania passed a resolution in which it recognized the People's Republic of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and members of Muslim and minority communities in Xinjiang region as a genocide, called upon the United Nations to investigate the People's Republic of China’s internment camps for Uyghurs, and asked the European Commission to review its relationship with the People's Republic of China; Whereas, on May 21, 2021, Lithuania withdrew from the 17+1 format that facilitates collaboration between Central and Eastern European nations and the People’s Republic of China; Whereas the 17+1 was designed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to both create business and cultural exchange opportunities for the People’s Republic of China, and to divide European nations on sub-regional issues regarding the People’s Republic of China; Whereas, on June 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced its donation of 20,000 COVID–19 vaccines to Taiwan after the People’s Republic of China blocked Taiwan from participation in the world-wide COVAX vaccine sharing scheme; Whereas, on July 20, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced the establishment of exchange offices with Taiwan under the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office, which formally opened on November 18, 2021; Whereas the CCP has aggressively punished other organizations and nations for using the name Taiwan to refer to the island, rather than referring to it by the CCP preferred Chinese Taipei , a practice by which the CCP seeks to force other nations to conform to its view that Taiwan is a part of China; Whereas, in retaliation to the Government of Lithuania’s announcement of the Taiwanese Representative Office, the CCP implemented severe economic restrictions on Lithuania, including the removal of Lithuania from the People’s Republic of China’s customs registry and the rejection of Lithuanian import applications; Whereas, on August 10, 2021, the Government of the People's Republic of China protested the announcement of the new Lithuanian office in Taiwan by recalling its ambassador to Vilnius, and demanding that Lithuania remove its ambassador from Beijing; Whereas, on September 4, 2021, Lithuania’s Ambassador to China, Diana Mickevičienė, returned to Vilnius, and on December 15, 2021, the Lithuanian Embassy in Beijing was closed; Whereas Lithuania’s European neighbors and European Union (EU) leaders have commended Lithuania’s bravery and have expressed willingness to stand in solidarity with Lithuania against Chinese coercion, including by issuing a joint letter from European Parliament members on September 3, 2021, as well as in a statement from EU Minister for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell; Whereas, on September 15, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the United States commitment to Lithuania, stating, Lithuania and the United States are very strong partners in NATO. We stand together for collective defense and security. We stand against economic coercion, including that being exerted by China. ; Whereas, on September 21, 2021, the Ministry of National Defence in Lithuania recommended that citizens not purchase phones manufactured in the People's Republic of China and throw away their existing phones, after evidence emerged that the devices have censorship technology built in; Whereas, on September 22, 2021, the Government of Lithuania announced an additional vaccine donation to Taiwan totaling 235,900 doses; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has engaged in economic coercion to punish countries that do not do as the CCP wishes, including by banning the import of Australian wine and agricultural products after the Government of Australia supported launching an international investigation into the origins of the COVID–19 pandemic, closing South Korean department stores and tourism after the Republic of Korea deployed the United States Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile battery, restricting imports from the Philippines after that nation protested the People's Republic of China’s assertive and unlawful actions in Scarborough Shoal, and cutting the imports of Norwegian salmon after Norway awarded a Chinese dissident with the Nobel Prize; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has made efforts to coerce multinational companies to suspend business in Lithuanian by threatening to exclude them from the Chinese market; Whereas the CCP regularly uses its economic power to pressure Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to cut ties with the island and instead diplomatically recognize the People's Republic of China, as it did most recently with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, leaving Taiwan with just 15 diplomatic allies; Whereas Taiwan announced the creation of a $200,000,000 investment fund to increase bilateral trade and support critical industries in Lithuania, and has made efforts to receive Lithuanian goods originally bound for China that were blocked from delivery by the Government of the People's Republic of China; and Whereas the CCP has repeatedly and continuously barred Taiwan from meaningful participation in key international organizations such as the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and other United Nations organizations and affiliated mechanisms in an attempt to diplomatically isolate Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) commends the Government of Lithuania for its decision to deepen ties with Taiwan and standing up to the Chinese Communist Party’s unfair coercion and pressure; (2) commits to supporting Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of these challenges, including by exploring ways to increase economic cooperation with both countries; (3) encourages European allies to continue to stand in solidarity with Lithuania against aggression from the Government of the People’s Republic of China; (4) encourages the Lithuanian business community to continue to seek opportunities for investment and growth with reliable partners outside of the People’s Republic of China’s abusive economic system; (5) expresses concern with the CCP’s aggressive actions and attempts to influence bilateral relations between governments attempting to build positive ties with Taiwan, a beacon of democracy in the Indo-Pacific and a key United States partner; and (6) supports Taiwan in its struggle against CCP malign influence, coercion, and aggression, which threatens not only the Taiwanese people and countries in the Indo-Pacific, but also any nation around the world that enacts policies or positions that are inconsistent with those of the CCP.

That the Senate— (1) commends the Government of Lithuania for its decision to deepen ties with Taiwan and for standing up to the Chinese Communist Party’s unfair coercion and pressure; (2) commits to supporting Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of these challenges, including by exploring ways to increase economic cooperation with both countries; (3) calls on the President to develop a whole-of-government strategy to counter the People’s Republic of China’s economic coercion targeting United States allies and partners; (4) encourages the European Union and European allies to continue to stand in solidarity with Lithuania against aggression from the Government of the People’s Republic of China; (5) encourages the Lithuanian business community to continue to seek opportunities for investment and growth with reliable partners outside of the People’s Republic of China’s abusive economic system; (6) commends efforts to increase United States financial support for the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, and encourages United States Embassy Vilnius, in coordination with like-minded partners, to host workshops that showcase Taiwan’s capacity to solve global challenges; (7) expresses concern with the CCP’s aggressive actions and attempts to influence bilateral relations between governments attempting to build positive ties with Taiwan, a beacon of democracy in the Indo-Pacific and a key United States partner, and joins the European Union in the exploration of an investigation into this Lithuanian-Chinese trade dispute through the World Trade Organization; (8) supports Taiwan in its struggle against CCP malign influence, coercion, and aggression, which threatens not only the Taiwanese people and countries in the Indo-Pacific, but also any nation around the world that enacts policies or positions that are inconsistent with those of the CCP; and (9) encourages other United States allies and partners to build closer diplomatic, strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties with Taiwan.

April 6, 2022 Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble