Taiwan International Solidarity Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1176) to amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 to provide that the United States, as a member of any international organizations, should oppose any attempts by the People's Republic of China to resolve Taiwan's status by distorting the decisions, language, policies, or procedures of the organization, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Taiwan, an island of democracy and stability, is a key U.S. partner facing an increasingly aggressive Chinese Communist Party. Chinese military aggression is the most visible type of coercion against Taiwan, but CCP influence is widespread. In almost every international organization, the CCP is taking over leadership positions and pushing Taiwan aside.

For far too long, the CCP has employed an insidious strategic approach to suppress Taiwan's participation in the international community. The Chinese Communist Party has undermined Taiwan and spread propaganda about that democracy's ability to participate in international organizations. We cannot turn a blind eye to this assault on the very institutions we helped build after World War II.

There is no clearer example of the Chinese Communist Party's nefarious tactics than their manipulation of U.N. Resolution 2758. Passed in 1971, that resolution recognized the PRC as the U.N. representative for China.

It said nothing about Taiwan's U.N. representation or sovereignty, yet the CCP propaganda wrongly claims that this resolution asserts PRC representation over Taiwan. Beijing has used it as a weapon to prevent Taiwan from participating in international organizations. This resolution, which was intended to bring nations together, has instead been exploited to isolate Taiwan. We cannot allow this blatant assault on freedom to go unchallenged.

Taiwan is a vibrant and thriving democracy rooted in freedom, pushing the envelope on advanced technology like semiconductors. By supporting Taiwan's participation in international organizations, we bolster our own national security, enhance regional stability, and safeguard the interests of the United States and our allies.

The consequences of Beijing's actions extend far beyond Taiwan's borders. The CCP's suffocating grip prevents Taiwan from sharing its invaluable expertise in areas such as public health, technology, and humanitarian aid.

For example, Taiwan is not a member of the WHO because of the CCP, but it was Taiwan that came forward at the end of 2019 with an early warning of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the CCP robbed the world of critical time needed to counter the pandemic, causing millions to die around the world. This is what happens when the CCP manipulates

international organizations, and this is what happens when Taiwan is excluded from international organizations: Millions die.

By supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, we demonstrate to the CCP that we stand firm in our commitment to promoting freedom, democracy, and human rights.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a fellow co-chair of the Taiwan Caucus, for introducing this bipartisan bill, of which I am a proud original cosponsor.

H.R. 1176 will send a clear message to the CCP that we will not tolerate their attempts to suppress, delegitimize, and coerce Taiwan and its people. The Taiwan Relations Act holds that it is United States policy to maintain their capacity ``to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion. . . .'' That policy must include the stance we are taking today, to resist the Chinese Communist Party's coercive tactics at international organizations.

Mr. Speaker, this bill deserves our unanimous support. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), the Republican principal sponsor of this bill and author of the bill. He is a great friend to the people of Taiwan and a member of the Taiwan Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, once again, commend my colleagues, the gentleman from Virginia and the gentleman from Utah, for their leadership in introducing the Taiwan International Solidarity Act for standing with the people of Taiwan.

Obviously, Taiwan does hold some status in some regional organizations, international organizations, and it holds observer or other status in several other bodies. But Taiwan cannot participate in organizations that are key to transnational issues, such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, or INTERPOL, as has been pointed out. China continues to advocate for Taiwan's exclusion in these international organizations and blocks Taiwan's participation in the United Nations.

This bill would amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act, or the TAIPEI Act of 2019, to reiterate that the United States, as a member of any international organization, should oppose attempts by the People's Republic of China to resolve Taiwan's status by distorting the decisions, language, policies, or procedures, of international organizations.

This bill encourages U.S. allies and partners to oppose the Chinese Communist efforts to undermine Taiwan's official diplomatic relationships and its partnerships with countries with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations.

The bill adds an additional requirement to report to Congress on the PRC's attempts to promote its One China position in undermining Taiwan's membership or observer status in international organizations and Taiwan's ties and relationships with other countries.

Mr. Speaker, I traveled to Taipei back in September of last year. This was a major topic of discussion, Taiwan's systematic exclusion from international organizations, and the coercive actions of the Chinese Communist Party in working against Taiwan being a participant in the international community. This is wrong.

The United States needs to stand with the Taiwan people and the democracy, that island of democracy and stability. That is why every Member of this body should support this important legislation and stand for Taiwan's inclusion and constructive participation in international organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I echo the gentleman from Kentucky's fervent desire that we merit unanimous support for this piece of legislation.

I rise in support of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act which I authored with the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), my friend, to stand up for Taiwan's participation in international organizations against the backdrop of an ever-bellicose People's Republic of China.

Our bill responds to Beijing's aggression by strengthening the TAIPEI Act of 2019 to clarify that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not--does not--preclude the United States from using its vote, voice, and influence to resist the reckless campaign against Taiwan's rightful place on the world stage.

The Taiwan International Solidarity Act amends the TAIPEI Act of 2019, a bill that passed by a unified bipartisan vote of 415-0. It instructs the U.S. to use its voice, vote, and influence to resist Beijing's efforts to distort the decisions, language, policies, or procedures of international organizations regarding Taiwan. It encourages the U.S. to work with allies and partners to oppose the People's Republic of China's efforts to undermine Taiwan's diplomatic relationships and partnerships globally. It expands reporting requirements to include information relating to any prior or ongoing attempts by the People's Republic of China to undermine Taiwan's participation in international organizations as well as its ties and relationships with other countries.

Over the past decade, the People's Republic of China has successfully weaponized a distorted interpretation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognized the People's Republic of China as China's representative to that body in 1971.

Since then, it is no secret that the People's Republic of China has leveraged its growing influence in the United Nations and international organizations to make sure that they could exclude Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international arena and preclude its technical and scientific expertise, as we saw in the pandemic, from which the world can benefit.

Delegates from Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly as nonvoting observers from 2009 to 2016, but in 2016, the PRC successfully bullied enough member states to rescind that invitation.

The denial of Taiwan's participation at the International Civil Aviation Organization poses a direct threat to aviation safety, and without member status at INTERPOL, Taiwan is denied access to crucial information that could be used to fight international criminal activity and, I might add, the drug trade we just talked about.

We face unprecedented health and security threats here in the United States and abroad, and Taiwan's distinct capabilities, public health expertise, democratic governance, and advanced technology underscore the need for this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the People's Republic of China has made its intentions crystal clear:

They have encroached on the territorial waters and airspace of their neighbors.

They have made ludicrous claims of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea.

They have engaged in, or threatened, kinetic activity on the Indian border, the Vietnamese border, and, of course, across the Taiwan Strait.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to make clear that any decision by the PRC to intimidate, bully, and exclude Taiwan will not be condoned or tolerated by the United States of America and certainly not by this Congress.

The United States, in the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act, must continue to reject any unilateral aggression against Taiwan, including within international organizations and bodies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to heed the advice of the gentleman from Kentucky and pass this bill unanimously. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lieu).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Again, I thank my friend from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for his leadership and cosponsorship, and my partner, Mr. Curtis, for his enormous effort in trying to bring this bill before our committee for markup and to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, acting on this bill is not a nice thing to do to recognize an allied partner, but it is actually for practical reasons. There are consequences when Taiwan, with independent capability, and enormous scientific and technical expertise, cannot participate in deliberations about world public health during a pandemic.

There are consequences when it cannot participate in INTERPOL and help us in that fentanyl drug trafficking coming from the big country just to its north, China.

There are consequences when we deny Taiwan its legitimate place and voice in international deliberations.

Mr. Speaker, passing this bill, I hope, will have positive and practical consequences. It will remind our friends and allies and our adversaries that this Congress believes Taiwan is entitled to its voice and its seat at the table in important international organizations that are operational and that have consequences, good and bad, for the world's population.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Connolly, for his leadership.

I am a proud coauthor of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act. Taiwan is a critically important partner to the United States, and Taiwan has made significant contributions to the international community.

Unfortunately, the actions of the government of the People's Republic of China have prevented Taiwan from being a part of important international organizations that help not only the United States but also helps their international community and helps the PRC.

For example, the PRC blocks Taiwan from being a part of the International Civil Aviation Organization. That is just really stupid because there are people from the PRC flying into Taiwan and flying out; there are people from the United States flying into Taiwan and flying out.

Why wouldn't you want Taiwan to have safer air travel? You absolutely would. The PRC also, unfortunately, blocked Taiwan from being in the World Health Assembly. Factually, it turns out that Taiwan got it right. Taiwan told the entire world that COVID could be passed through human transmission. The PRC lied to the entire world and said that that was not true.

Taiwan got it right and yet, the WHO excludes Taiwan. The WHO should be ashamed of themselves and should let Taiwan in.

Taiwan is also excluded from INTERPOL. Why wouldn't you want Taiwan to help with fighting crime and

terrorism around the world? You absolutely would.

This bill would require the State Department to report to Congress every year on any efforts by the PRC government to undermine Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

It would also require the State Department to report on any PRC government effort to undermine Taiwan's relationships with other countries. This information we receive will be critical to holding the PRC government accountable for any efforts to undermine Taiwan's contributions to the international community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which I co-lead with my good friend from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).

This legislation amends the TAIPEI Act, my bill that was signed into law in March of 2020, which countered China's poaching of Taiwan's allies and China's efforts to exclude Taiwan from international organizations.

I am proud that my bill has greatly strengthened our relationship with Taiwan. However, since the bill's signing in 2020, China has mounted pressure on international organizations to claim that Taiwan is part of China.

The Taiwan International Solidarity Act expands on the TAIPEI Act to further counter China's attempt to use international organizations to claim that Taiwan is part of China by distorting the language, policies, and procedures of international organizations.

We all witnessed this in an infamous interview at the height of COVID where a reporter asked a representative of the World Health Organization a question about Taiwan. The WHO officer initially refused to answer and then said: ``Well, we've already talked about China,'' implying that Taiwan is part of China.

It is unacceptable for international institutions, funded largely by U.S. taxpayer dollars, to be repeating the CCP narrative.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.