United States-Taiwan Partnership in the Americas Act

Bill: 119-s-2684
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2025-09-02
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2684 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 2, 2025 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Curtis , Mr. Kaine , and Mr. Ricketts ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to counter efforts by the People's Republic of China to coerce or pressure governments into breaking such ties, to deepen coordination with Taiwan on diplomatic, development, and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the United States-Taiwan Partnership in the Americas Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Taiwan is a democratic partner of the United States, and countries that maintain ties with Taiwan often share our Nation's commitment to transparency, good governance, and human rights. (2) The People’s Republic of China has pressured Taiwan’s remaining 7 diplomatic allies in Latin America and the Caribbean to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan by leveraging opaque development deals and backroom pressure. (3) The United States has an interest in ensuring countries in Latin America and the Caribbean can make sovereign foreign policy decisions free from coercion or financial manipulation by the People's Republic of China. 3. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States— (1) to support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan; (2) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of China to coerce or pressure governments in the region into breaking diplomatic ties with Taiwan; and (3) to deepen coordination with Taiwan on its development and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere. 4. Monitoring the economic influence of the People's Republic of China (a) Infrastructure influence risk mechanism The Secretary of State shall establish a mechanism to track and respond to infrastructure and development projects by the People's Republic of China in countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. (b) Functions The mechanism required under subsection (a) shall— (1) identify projects referred to in such subsection that carry strategic risks or involve non-transparent financing; (2) coordinate appropriate United States diplomatic or technical responses to such projects; and (3) share relevant information with Congress and with United States allies. 5. Reporting requirements (a) Semiannual status report The Secretary of State shall submit semiannual status reports to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding governments in Latin America that have taken steps to discontinue diplomatic relations with Taiwan. (b) Diplomatic engagement plan If the Secretary of State determines that a government in a country referred to in subsection (a) is taking steps to terminate diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the Secretary, not later than 30 days after such determination, 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 detailed plan to support the maintenance of official diplomatic relations between such government and Taiwan. (c) Annual report (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the Secretary of State 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) an assessment of the goals, investments, and interests of the People’s Republic of China in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan; (B) an overview of the pressure tactics and influence campaigns carried out by the People’ s Republic of China in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan; and (C) the actions taken by the Department of State during the most recent 12-month period to implement this Act by— (i) supporting Taiwan’s diplomatic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean; and (ii) countering the efforts of the People’s Republic of China to isolate Taiwan from its Latin American and Caribbean allies. (2) Form Each report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. 6. Taiwan–Americas strategic coordination The Secretary of State should take steps to expand United States coordination with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with respect to Taiwan by— (1) coordinating joint programming and technical cooperation with United States allies; (2) aligning public diplomacy efforts; and (3) encouraging collaboration between United States embassies and Taiwan's representative offices in Latin America and the Caribbean.