HRES 1278
Reaffirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan Taiwan policy.
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Bill overview
This resolution expresses Congress’s continued support for the Taiwan Relations Act and the long-standing bipartisan policy towards Taiwan. It highlights the importance of maintaining strong ties between the United States and Taiwan, emphasizing the commitment to regional peace and stability. The resolution reaffirms key elements of the Taiwan Relations Act, including support for Taiwan’s self-defense and opposition to any attempts to alter the status of Taiwan by force or coercion.
Key provisions
- Reaffirms support for the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.
- Recognizes the importance of commercial, cultural, and other ties between the U.S. and Taiwan.
- Supports maintaining Taiwan’s capacity to resist coercion.
- Expresses commitment to regional peace and stability.
- Reinforces the U.S. ‘one China policy’ as guided by the Taiwan Relations Act and Joint Communiqués.
- Specifically outlines conditions regarding U.S. arms sales to Taiwan established in 1982.
- Supports Taiwan’s democratic transformation and its role in the global economy.
Who is affected
- United States
- Taiwan
- People’s Republic of China
- Western Pacific region
- Global economy
Notable changes
- The resolution explicitly reiterates key aspects of the 1982 Six Assurances regarding U.S. policy towards Taiwan and China.
- It emphasizes the continued importance of the ‘one China policy’ as it has been historically defined.
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. RES. 1278
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RESOLUTION
Reaffirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan Taiwan policy.
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 is the cornerstone of the United States-Taiwan relationship, which has been characterized by broad and enduring bipartisan support;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act established key elements of United States policy that have stood the test of time, including—
preserving the extensive commercial, cultural, and other ties between the United States and Taiwan as well as the people on the China mainland and all other peoples of the Western Pacific area;
declaring that peace and stability in the region are in the political, security, and economic interests of the United States, and are matters of international concern;
underscoring that the United States decision to establish and maintain diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means;
considering any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including boycotts or embargoes, a threat to regional peace and security, and of grave concern to the United States;
providing Taiwan with arms of a defensive character; and
maintaining the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or coercion that would jeopardize the security, or social and economic system, of the people of Taiwan;
Whereas the United States has a longstanding one China policy, which has been guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances, in which the Reagan administration made clear in 1982 that, in the context of the United States-China Joint Communiqué on United States Arms Sales to Taiwan, the United States—
did not agree to set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan;
did not agree to prior consultation with the People’s Republic of China on arms sales to Taiwan;
did not agree to play any mediation role between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China;
did not agree to revise the Taiwan Relations Act;
did not agree to take any position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan; and
will not exert pressure on Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the People’s Republic of China;
Whereas, since the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States and Taiwan have further strengthened commercial, cultural, and other ties;
Whereas Taiwan has become a key part of the global economy and a significant trading and investment partner of the United States; and
Whereas Taiwan has transformed into a robust democracy on the world stage: Now, therefore, be it