Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act
This bill authorizes the President to use the Armed Forces to defend Taiwan against a direct attack by China's military, a taking of Taiwan's territory by China, or a threat that endangers the lives of civilians in Taiwan or members of Taiwan's military. The bill also directs the Department of Defense to convene an annual regional security dialogue with Taiwan and other partners to improve U.S. security relationships with countries in the Western Pacific.
(Taiwan is self-governing, but China considers it a renegade province.)
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7855 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7855
To authorize the President to use military force for the purpose of
securing and defending Taiwan against armed attack, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 29, 2020
Mr. Yoho (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Gallagher, Mr.
Crenshaw, Mr. Balderson, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Perry, Mr. Flores, Mr.
Wright, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Guest, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Diaz-
Balart, Mr. Cloud, and Mr. Waltz) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to
the Committees on Armed Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the President to use military force for the purpose of
securing and defending Taiwan against armed attack, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act''.
TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES
SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Taiwan is a free and prosperous democracy of nearly
24,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and
stability around the world.
(2) Section 2(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law
96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301(b)) states that it is the policy of the
United States--
(A) ``to preserve and promote extensive, close, and
friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations
between the people of the United States and the people
on Taiwan, as well as the people on the China mainland
and all other peoples of the Western Pacific area'';
(B) ``to declare that peace and stability in the
area are in the political, security, and economic
interests of the United States, and are matters of
international concern'';
(C) ``to make clear that the United States decision
to establish diplomatic relations with the People's
Republic of China rests upon the expectation that the
future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful
means'';
(D) ``to consider any effort to determine the
future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means,
including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the
peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of
grave concern to the United States'';
(E) ``to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive
character''; and
(F) ``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''.
(3) Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen as
President of Taiwan in 2016, the Government of the People's
Republic of China has intensified its efforts to pressure
Taiwan through diplomatic isolation and military provocations.
(4) The rapid modernization of the People's Liberation Army
and recent military maneuvers in and around the Taiwan Strait
illustrate a clear threat to Taiwan's security.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) both the United States and Taiwan have made significant
strides since 1979 in bolstering their defense relationship;
(2) the People's Republic of China has dramatically
increased the capability of its military forces since 1979;
(3) the People's Republic of China has in recent years
increased the use of its military forces to harass and provoke
Taiwan with the threat of overwhelming force; and
(4) that it is the policy of the United States to consider
any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by anything other
than peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes, a
threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area,
and of grave concern to the United States.
SEC. 102. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) In General.--The President is authorized to use the Armed
Forces of the United States and take such other measures as the
President determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to secure
and protect Taiwan against the following:
(1) Direct armed attack by the military forces of the
People's Republic of China against the military forces of
Taiwan.
(2) The taking of territory under the effective
jurisdiction of Taiwan by the military forces of the People's
Republic of China.
(3) The endangering of the lives of members of the military
forces of Taiwan or civilians within the effective jurisdiction
of Taiwan in cases in which such members or civilians have been
killed or are in imminent danger of being killed.
(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements.--
(1) Specific statutory authorization.--Consistent with
section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress
declares that this section is intended to constitute specific
statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of
the War Powers Resolution.
(2) Applicability of other requirements.--Nothing in this
Act supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, at the
earliest possible date after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
President should release a public declaration that it is the policy of
the United States to secure and protect Taiwan against the actions of
the People's Republic of China described in paragraphs (1), (2), and
(3) of subsection (a).
(d) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to
demand that the People's Republic of China officially renounce the use
or threat of military force in any attempt to unify with Taiwan.
(e) Authorization Period.--
(1) In general.--The authorization for use of the Armed
Forces under this section shall expire on the date that is 5
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the authorization for use of the Armed Forces under this
section should be reauthorized by a subsequent Act of Congress.
TITLE II--OTHER MATTERS
SEC. 201. REGIONAL SECURITY DIALOGUE TO IMPROVE SECURITY RELATIONSHIPS
IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AREA.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with
the Secretary of State and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies
as appropriate, shall seek to convene on an annual basis a regional
security dialogue with the Government of Taiwan and the governments of
like-minded security partners to improve the security relationships
among the United States and such countries in the Western Pacific area.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The regional security dialogue may
consider matters relating to--
(1) coordinating lower-level military-to-military dialogue;
and
(2) planning for potential military confrontation
scenarios.
SEC. 202. UNITED STATES-TAIWAN BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the United States Trade Representative should seek to enter into
negotiations with representatives from Taiwan to establish a bilateral
trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
SEC. 203. UNITED STATES-TAIWAN COMBINED MILITARY EXERCISES AND RELATED
ACTIONS.
(a) Combined Military Exercises.--The Secretary of Defense, in
coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, should
seek to carry out a program of combined military exercises between the
United States, Taiwan, and, if feasible, United States allies and
partners to improve military coordination and relations with Taiwan.
(b) Combined Disaster Relief Exercises.--The Secretary of Defense,
in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies,
should engage with their counterparts in Taiwan to organize combined
disaster and humanitarian relief exercises.
(c) Taiwan Strait Transits, Freedom of Navigation Operations, and
Presence Operations.--The Secretary of Defense should consider
increasing transits through the Taiwan Strait, Freedom of Navigation
Operations in the Taiwan Strait, and Presence Operations in the Western
Pacific area by the United States Navy, including in conjunction with
United States allies and partners.
(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Taiwan
should dedicate additional domestic resources toward advancing its
military readiness for purposes of defending Taiwan, including
through--
(1) steady increases in annual defense spending as a share
of gross domestic product (GDP);
(2) procurements of defense technologies that directly
bolster Taiwan's asymmetric defense capabilities;
(3) reform of Taiwan's military reserves, including
increasing the length of training required and number of days
required in service annually;
(4) participation with United States Armed Forces in
combined military exercises; and
(5) further engagement with the United States on
strengthening Taiwan's cyber capabilities.
SEC. 204. UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR DEFENDING TAIWAN.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Secretary of State should, given the security
considerations posed by the People's Republic of China,
accelerate the approval of sales of defense articles and
services to Taiwan for purposes of defending Taiwan; and
(2) the Secretary of Defense should offer support to Taiwan
by--
(A) continuing to send United States military
advisors to Taiwan for training purposes;
(B) encouraging members of the United States Armed
Forces to enroll in Taiwan's National Defense
University;
(C) maintaining a significant United States naval
presence within a close proximity to Taiwan; and
(D) reestablishing the Taiwan Patrol Force under
the direction of the United States Navy.
SEC. 205. HIGH-LEVEL VISITS.
(a) Visit to Taiwan by President of the United States.--Not later
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President,
or, if the President so designates, the Secretary of State, with
interagency consultation and participation as appropriate, should
arrange a meeting with the President of Taiwan in Taiwan.
(b) Visit to the United States by President of Taiwan.--It is the
sense of Congress that the United States would benefit from a meeting
between the President or the Secretary of State and the President of
Taiwan in the United States.
SEC. 206. ADDRESS TO JOINT MEETING OF CONGRESS BY PRESIDENT OF TAIWAN.
It is the sense of Congress that it would be beneficial for the
United States and Taiwan to invite the President of Taiwan to address a
Joint Meeting of Congress and subsequently participate in a roundtable
discussion with Members of Congress.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
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