[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 633 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 633
Reaffirming the United States' commitment to Taiwan and recognizing the
45th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2024
Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Reaffirming the United States' commitment to Taiwan and recognizing the
45th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.;
referred to in this preamble as the ``TRA''), which was enacted on April
10, 1979, has been a cornerstone in upholding peace, security, and
stability in the Taiwan Strait for 45 years, reflecting the enduring
political, international, and economic interests of the United States;
Whereas United States relations with Taiwan are carried out through the American
Institute in Taiwan pursuant to the TRA;
Whereas in 1982, President Ronald Reagan further clarified the importance and
resilience of the United States-Taiwan relationship with the issuance of
the Six Assurances to Taiwan;
Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances are cornerstones of United States policy
with respect to Taiwan;
Whereas the TRA and the Six Assurances have been essential components in helping
to maintain peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific,
thereby furthering the political, security, and economic interests of
the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan is a key United States partner in the Indo-Pacific that shares
similar values, deep commercial and economic links, and strong ties;
Whereas the TRA enshrines in law the United States' commitment to make available
to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as
may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense
capability;
Whereas the TRA states it is United States policy to maintain the capacity of
the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of
coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic
system, of the people on Taiwan;
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have forged ever closer economic and
security relations over the last 45 years based on--
(1) their shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of
law, and free market principles; and
(2) their willingness to partner in efforts to promote democratic
resilience, counter disinformation, and to address other global challenges,
such as those related to the environment, public health, energy security,
education, women's empowerment, digital economy, poverty, and natural
disasters;
Whereas in 1971, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758
(XXVI), which does not address--
(1) Taiwan's political status; or
(2) the issue of Taiwan's representation in the United Nations;
Whereas the People's Republic of China continues to falsely assert that United
Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) ``resolved, politically,
legally and procedurally, the issue of the representation of the whole
of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations and international
institutions'';
Whereas Taiwan is the United States' eighth-largest trading partner and, in
2023, the United States and Taiwan signed the first agreement under a
United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade;
Whereas the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act (Public Law 117-263), which was
enacted in 2022, included important provisions--
(1) to expand United States-Taiwan security cooperation and mutually
beneficial relationship through the Taiwan Fellowship Program; and
(2) to develop a strategy for Taiwan's meaningful participation in
international organizations;
Whereas the Global Cooperation and Training Framework exemplifies the commitment
of the United States and Taiwan to collaborate on global challenges,
enhancing global capacity through cooperation and the sharing of best
practices in areas such as public health, environmental protection, and
cybersecurity;
Whereas the programs under the United States-Taiwan Education Initiative
significantly contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations
through educational exchanges, language learning, and professional
development, facilitating mutual understanding and collaboration between
the peoples of the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas the United States-Taiwan Science and Technology Agreement and the
inaugural Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue highlight the
dedication of the United States and Taiwan--
(1) to advancing collaboration and understanding between their
respective science and technology communities; and
(2) to fostering innovation and addressing shared challenges through
joint research and development efforts; and
Whereas Taiwan's democracy has deepened with the 3 peaceful transfers of power
from 1 political party to another over 8 direct Presidential and 10
direct legislative elections: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan
Relations Act, which, together with the Six Assurances, are
cornerstones of the United States' unofficial relationship with
Taiwan;
(2) reiterates that the President should continue regular
transfers of defense articles to Taiwan consistent with
Taiwan's self-defense requirements;
(3) calls on the Secretary of State to actively engage
internationally in support of Taiwan's membership or meaningful
participation in international organizations;
(4) reaffirms the importance of cultivating close ties
through initiatives such as the Fulbright Program and the
Taiwan Fellowship Program; and
(5) acknowledges the important work done by the American
Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office in support of joint United States-Taiwan
interests.
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