Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty
Its proponents intended the proposed law to strengthen and update the Taiwan Relations Act, which was passed soon after the US ceased official relations with the Republic of China (now commonly known as Taiwan) on December 31, 1978, and instead recognized the People's Republic of China on January 1, 1979. President Jimmy Carter had unilaterally withdrawn from the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty establishing a defense pact between the United States and the Republic of China in January 1979, and the Taiwan Relations Act was Congress's response to enforce and prevent excessive unilateral foreign policy change at the hands of the President without consent of Congress.