[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2684 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 242
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2684
To support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain
official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to counter efforts by the
People's Republic of China to coerce or pressure governments into
breaking such ties, to deepen coordination with Taiwan on diplomatic,
development, and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 2, 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Ricketts, and Mr.
Bennet) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
October 30, 2025
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain
official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to counter efforts by the
People's Republic of China to coerce or pressure governments into
breaking such ties, to deepen coordination with Taiwan on diplomatic,
development, and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Taiwan
Partnership in the Americas Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Taiwan is a democratic partner of the United
States, and countries that maintain ties with Taiwan often
share our Nation's commitment to transparency, good governance,
and human rights.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) The People's Republic of China has pressured
Taiwan's remaining 7 diplomatic allies in Latin America and the
Caribbean to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan by
leveraging opaque development deals and backroom
pressure.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) The United States has an interest in ensuring
countries in Latin America and the Caribbean can make sovereign
foreign policy decisions free from coercion or financial
manipulation by the People's Republic of China.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the policy of the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) to support countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with
Taiwan;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of
China to coerce or pressure governments in the region into
breaking diplomatic ties with Taiwan; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) to deepen coordination with Taiwan on its
development and economic engagement in the Western
Hemisphere.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. MONITORING THE ECONOMIC INFLUENCE OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Infrastructure Influence Risk Mechanism.--The
Secretary of State shall establish a mechanism to track and respond to
infrastructure and development projects by the People's Republic of
China in countries that maintain diplomatic relations with
Taiwan.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Functions.--The mechanism required under subsection
(a) shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) identify projects referred to in such
subsection that carry strategic risks or involve non-
transparent financing;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) coordinate appropriate United States
diplomatic or technical responses to such projects;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) share relevant information with Congress and
with United States allies.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Semiannual Status Report.--The Secretary of State
shall submit semiannual status reports to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives regarding governments in Latin America that
have taken steps to discontinue diplomatic relations with
Taiwan.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Diplomatic Engagement Plan.--If the Secretary of State
determines that a government in a country referred to in subsection (a)
is taking steps to terminate diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the
Secretary, not later than 30 days after such determination, shall
submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that
includes a detailed plan to support the maintenance of official
diplomatic relations between such government and Taiwan.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Annual Report.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for
the following 5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit a
report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives that includes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) an assessment of the goals,
investments, and interests of the People's Republic of
China in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain
diplomatic relations with Taiwan;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) an overview of the pressure tactics
and influence campaigns carried out by the People' s
Republic of China in countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with
Taiwan; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the actions taken by the Department of
State during the most recent 12-month period to
implement this Act by--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) supporting Taiwan's diplomatic
partners in Latin America and the Caribbean;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) countering the efforts of the
People's Republic of China to isolate Taiwan
from its Latin American and Caribbean
allies.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Form.--Each report required under paragraph
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. TAIWAN-AMERICAS STRATEGIC COORDINATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> The Secretary of State should take steps to expand United
States coordination with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
with respect to Taiwan by--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) coordinating joint programming and technical
cooperation with United States allies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) aligning public diplomacy efforts;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) encouraging collaboration between United
States embassies and Taiwan's representative offices in Latin
America and the Caribbean.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States - Taiwan Partnership
in the Americas Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Taiwan is a democratic partner of the United States,
and countries that maintain ties with Taiwan often share our
Nation's commitment to transparency, good governance, and human
rights.
(2) The People's Republic of China has pressured Taiwan's
remaining 7 diplomatic allies in Latin America and the
Caribbean to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan by
leveraging opaque development deals and backroom pressure.
(3) The United States has an interest in ensuring countries
in Latin America and the Caribbean can make sovereign foreign
policy decisions free from coercion or financial manipulation
by the People's Republic of China.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan;
(2) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of China to
coerce or pressure governments in the region into breaking
diplomatic ties with Taiwan; and
(3) to deepen coordination with Taiwan on its development
and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere.
SEC. 4. MONITORING THE ECONOMIC INFLUENCE OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA.
(a) Infrastructure Influence Risk Mechanism.--The Secretary of
State shall establish a mechanism to track and respond to
infrastructure and development projects by the People's Republic of
China in countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
(b) Functions.--The mechanism required under subsection (a) shall--
(1) identify projects referred to in such subsection that
carry strategic risks or involve non-transparent financing;
(2) coordinate appropriate United States diplomatic or
technical responses to such projects; and
(3) share relevant information with Congress and with
United States allies.
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Semiannual Status Report.--The Secretary of State shall submit
semiannual status reports to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives regarding governments in Latin America that have taken
steps to discontinue diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
(b) Diplomatic Engagement Plan.--If the Secretary of State
determines that a government in a country referred to in subsection (a)
is taking steps to terminate diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the
Secretary, not later than 30 days after such determination, shall
submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that
includes a detailed plan to support the maintenance of official
diplomatic relations between such government and Taiwan.
(c) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the
following 5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit a report
to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
that includes--
(A) an assessment of the goals, investments, and
interests of the People's Republic of China in Latin
America and the Caribbean that maintain diplomatic
relations with Taiwan;
(B) an overview of the pressure tactics and
influence campaigns carried out by the People' s
Republic of China in countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with
Taiwan; and
(C) the actions taken by the Department of State
during the most recent 12-month period to implement
this Act by--
(i) supporting Taiwan's diplomatic partners
in Latin America and the Caribbean; and
(ii) countering the efforts of the People's
Republic of China to isolate Taiwan from its
Latin American and Caribbean allies.
(2) Form.--Each report required under paragraph (1) shall
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 6. TAIWAN-AMERICAS STRATEGIC COORDINATION.
The Secretary of State should take steps to expand United States
coordination with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with
respect to Taiwan by--
(1) coordinating joint programming and technical
cooperation with United States allies;
(2) aligning public diplomacy efforts; and
(3) encouraging collaboration between United States
embassies and Taiwan's representative offices in Latin America
and the Caribbean.
SEC. 7. BRIEFING ON EFFORTS TO SUPPORT TAIWAN'S RESPONSE TO MALIGN
INFLUENCE OPERATIONS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the
heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall brief the
appropriate congressional committees by--
(1) describing existing United States efforts supporting
the Taiwan government's efforts in countering the malign
influence operations of the Government of the People's Republic
of China and the Chinese Communist Party; and
(2) providing recommendations, developed in coordination
with the heads of relevant Federal agencies and international
partners, for identifying, and providing targeted assistance to
address, remaining vulnerabilities in the Taiwan government's
efforts to counter such malign influence operations.
(b) Briefing Elements.--The briefing required under subsection
(a)(1) shall include the response of the United States to the People's
Republic of China malign influence campaigns and cyber-intrusions
targeting Taiwan, including--
(1) United States assistance in building the capacity of
Taiwanese officials, media entities, and private-sector
entities to document and expose propaganda and malign foreign
influence supported by the Government of the People's Republic
of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or affiliated entities;
(2) United States assistance to the Taiwan government's
efforts to develop a whole-of-government strategy to respond to
malign influence operations, including election interference;
(3) exchanges and other technical assistance through which
the United States has collaborated with Taiwan to strengthen
Taiwan's legal system's ability to respond to malign influence
operations; and
(4) the extent to which like-minded governments have
collaborated with the Taiwan government on ways to address
malign influence operations supported by the Government of the
People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 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.
(2) Malign influence operations.--The term ``malign
influence operations'' means the coordinated and often
concealed application of media manipulation, economic coercion,
cyber-intrusions, targeted investments, and academic censorship
that is intended--
(A)(i) to corrupt businesses and political and
nongovernmental institutions;
(ii) to interfere in democratic elections; and
(iii) to encourage self-censorship of views at odds
with those of the Government of the People's Republic
of China or the Chinese Communist Party;
(B) to foster attitudes, behavior, decisions, or
outcomes in Taiwan and elsewhere that support the
interests of the Government of the People's Republic of
China or the Chinese Communist Party; or
(C) to undermine the administrative activities or
daily operations of the Taiwan government.
SEC. 8. BRIEFING ON DETERRENCE IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT.
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of relevant
Federal departments and agencies, shall brief the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives by providing--
(1) an assessment of the military posture of Taiwan and the
United States as it specifically pertains to the deterrence of
military conflict and conflict readiness in the Taiwan Strait;
and
(2) an analysis of whether current Taiwan and United States
policies sufficiently deter the People's Republic of China's
efforts to determine the future of Taiwan by other than
peaceful means, taking into account the changing military
balance in the Taiwan Strait.
Calendar No. 242
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2684
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain
official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, to counter efforts by the
People's Republic of China to coerce or pressure governments into
breaking such ties, to deepen coordination with Taiwan on diplomatic,
development, and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 30, 2025
Reported with an amendment