Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act of 2020

The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96–8) and the Six Assurances, first articulated by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, are both cornerstones of United States relations with Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China (ROC).

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan have been ruled without interruption by separate governments since 1949, and Taiwan has not been subjected to rule by the PRC at any point since the PRC was first established in 1949.

The so-called “One China Policy” of the United States Government is not the same as the “One China principle” espoused by the People’s Republic of China.

Threats and actions by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to unilaterally determine Taiwan’s future through non-peaceful means, including the direct use of force, military coercion, economic boycotts or embargoes, and efforts to internationally isolate or annex Taiwan, would undermine stability in the Taiwan Strait and are of grave concern to the United States Government.

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) global influence operations and efforts to exert sharp power have sought to diplomatically undermine the legitimacy of the democratically elected Government of Taiwan, intimidate the people of Taiwan, and force Taiwan’s diplomatic partners to abandon it.

The force modernization program and military buildup of the CCP-controlled People’s Liberation Army poses a serious challenge to the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Taiwan Strait, and to United States national security interests as a Pacific power.

Cultural and educational exchanges between the United States and Taiwan are a key component of building and strengthening bilateral people-to-people ties and provide important, high-quality learning opportunities for students interested in politics, history, language, and culture.

Taiwan is an important trading partner for the United States, representing the 10th largest market for United States exports in 2019.

April 10, 2020, marked the 41st anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96–8).

the United States Government should strengthen cooperation with the military of Taiwan under the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96–8) and the Six Assurances with consideration of the ongoing military buildup in China and the imbalance in the security environment in the Taiwan Strait;

the United States Government should urge Taiwan to increase its own investments in military capabilities that support implementation of its asymmetric defense strategy;

the United States Government should promote dignity and respect for its Taiwanese counterparts, who represent more than 23,000,000 citizens, by using the full range of diplomatic and financial tools available to promote Taiwan’s inclusion and meaningful participation in international organizations as well as in bilateral and multilateral security summits, military exercises, and economic dialogues and forums; and

in order to deepen economic ties and advance the interests of the United States, the United States Government should prioritize the negotiation of a free trade agreement with Taiwan that provides high levels of labor rights and environmental protection as soon as possible.

Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to create and execute a plan for enhancing its relationship with Taiwan by forming a robust partnership that meets the challenges of the 21st century, fully accounts for Taiwan’s democratization, and remains faithful to United States principles and values in keeping with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.

Interagency Taiwan policy task force— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall create an interagency Taiwan policy task force consisting of senior officials from the Office of the President, the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Report— The interagency Taiwan Policy Task Force established under subsection (b) shall submit an annual unclassified report with a classified annex to the appropriate congressional committees outlining policy and actions to be taken to create and execute a plan for enhancing our partnership and relations with Taiwan.

Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to support United States educational and exchange programs with Taiwan, including by authorizing such sum as may be necessary to promote the study of Chinese language, culture, history, and politics in Taiwan.

Establishment of the United States-Taiwan Cultural Exchange Foundation— The Secretary of State shall establish a new United States-Taiwan Cultural Exchange Foundation, an independent nonprofit dedicated to deepening ties between the future leaders of Taiwan and the United States. The Foundation shall work with State and local school districts and educational institutions to send high school and university students to Taiwan to study the Chinese language, culture, history, politics, and other relevant subjects.

Partnering With TECRO— State and local school districts and educational institutions such as public universities shall partner with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States to establish programs to promote an increase in educational and cultural exchanges.

Report— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on cooperation between the United States Government and the Taiwanese government to create an alternative to Confucius Institutes in an effort to promote freedom, democracy, universal values, culture, and history in conjunction with Chinese language education.

Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to promote Taiwan’s inclusion and meaningful participation in meetings held by international organizations.

Support for meaningful participation— The Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations and other relevant United States officials should actively support Taiwan’s membership and meaningful participation in international organizations.

Report— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on China’s efforts at the United Nations and other international bodies to block Taiwan’s meaningful participation and inclusion and recommend appropriate responses to be taken by the United States.

Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to invite Taiwanese counterparts to participate in high-level bilateral and multilateral summits, military exercises, and economic dialogues and forums.

Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—

List of high-Level visits— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall, in accordance with the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 115–135), submit to the appropriate congressional committees a list of high-level officials from the United States Government that have traveled to Taiwan and a list of high-level officials of Taiwan that have entered the United States.

Annual report— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act.

Finding— Congress finds that the efforts by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party to compel private United States businesses, corporations, and nongovernmental entities to use PRC-mandated language to describe the relationship between Taiwan and China are an intolerable attempt to enforce political censorship globally and should be considered an attack on the fundamental underpinnings of all democratic and free societies, including the constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech.

Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government, in coordination with United States businesses and nongovernmental entities, should formulate a code of conduct for interacting with the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party and affiliated entities, the aim of which is—

Strategy To protect United States businesses and nongovernmental entities from coercion— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit an unclassified report, with a classified annex if necessary, to protect United States businesses and nongovernmental entities from sharp power operations, including coercion and threats that lead to censorship or self-censorship, or which compel compliance with political or foreign policy positions of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. The strategy shall include the following elements:

In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall develop and implement a strategy to respond to sharp power operations and the united front campaign supported by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party that are directed toward persons or entities in Taiwan.

Elements— The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:

Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

Sharp power— The term sharp power means the coordinated and often concealed application of disinformation, media manipulation, economic coercion, cyber-intrusions, targeted investments, and academic censorship that is intended—