‘This bipartisan legislation ensures that we stand against Beijing’s weaponization of international organizations,’ Rep. Gerald Connolly says.
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation to counter communist China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan from the international community.
The bill, officially known as the Taiwan International Solidarity Act (
H.R. 2416), was led by Reps. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) and Young Kim (R-Calif.), who are both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“For too long, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has distorted policies and procedures at international organizations to assert its sovereignty claims over Taiwan, often to the detriment of global health, governance, and security efforts,” Connolly
said in a statement on March 31.
“This bipartisan legislation ensures that we stand against Beijing’s weaponization of international organizations and in solidarity with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan.”
The legislation was passed by the House in the previous Congress in July 2023 and was never voted on in the Senate.
The bill would amend the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act, which was
signed into law by President Donald Trump during his term in office in March 2020.
One of the changes aims to counter the Chinese regime’s frequent distortion of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971. Beijing often
uses the 1971 document to claim that it has sovereignty over Taiwan and thus countries should accept its “one China principle.”
“The resolution did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the United Nations or any related organizations, nor did the resolution take a position on the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan or include any statement pertaining to Taiwan’s sovereignty,” the bill
states.
Taiwan is a de facto independent country with its own military, constitution, and a democratically elected government. Many countries, including the United States, have a “one China” policy, which asserts that there is only one sovereign state under the name “China.”
The legislation would instruct U.S. representatives in all international organizations to “use the voice, vote, and influence” to resist Beijing’s campaign to distort “decisions, language, policies, or procedures” concerning Taiwan.
Additionally, the bill would encourage U.S. allies and partners to oppose Beijing’s attempts to “undermine” Taipei’s relationships with diplomatic and non-diplomatic allies.
The bill would also expand the secretary of state’s annual reporting requirement to the appropriate congressional committees under the
TAIPEI Act. The report would include additional information on the Chinese regime’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and Taiwan’s ties with other countries.
“Beijing continues to do all it can to isolate Taiwan from the outside world and silence Taiwan’s voice on the world stage. Taiwan has a track record of success in democracy and global health security, and its perspective deserves to be heard,” Kim said in a
statement on March 31.
The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Dave Min (D-Calif.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).
When the legislation was passed in the previous Congress, Taiwan’s foreign ministry issued a
statement calling the House’s decision “a concrete step to counter China’s malevolent and calculated distortion of [U.N. General Assembly] Resolution 2758 in the global arena.”
“Taiwan will continue to cooperate closely with the United States and all like-minded nations to deepen partnerships on all fronts and do its utmost to contribute to addressing common global challenges,” the ministry added.
On March 28, Kim
introduced a separate bipartisan legislation, called the Taiwan Travel and Tourism Coordination Act (
H.R.2370), along with Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), chairman and ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), respectively. The legislation aims to boost the U.S.–Taiwan economic and trade relationship.
“Strengthening travel and tourism between the United States and Taiwan not only boosts the U.S. economy but strengthens Taiwan’s resistance to economic coercion by the Chinese Communist Party,” Krishnamoorthi
said in a statement at the time.
The companion version of the legislation (
S.733) was
introduced in the Senate in February by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
