The U.S. House of Representatives strikes again! Two bills supporting Taiwan have passed, striving for international participation and freedom of interaction.

The latest developments from Washington show that the U.S. Congress continues to strengthen support for Taiwan. On May 5, Eastern Time, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills highly related to Taiwan, aimed at lifting restrictions on U.S.-Taiwan interactions and helping Taiwan break through international isolation.

Taiwan-US interaction upgrade: Re-examining the restrictions on exchanges between the US and Taiwan

One of the bills is the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act," jointly proposed by Republican Congresswoman Ann Wagner and Democratic Congressmen Gerry Connolly and Ted Lieu. The content requires the U.S. State Department to regularly review the relevant guidelines for interactions with Taiwan.

According to the bill, the U.S. State Department is required to submit a report to Congress every two years, explaining the status of the current guidelines and indicating whether there are any "self-restricting" interaction barriers, while also proposing specific plans to gradually lift these restrictions.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives through a voice vote, and it still needs to be reviewed and approved by the Senate and signed by the President before it can officially become law.

Guiding Principles for US-Taiwan Interaction: The Historical Burden of Self-Imposed Limitations

Since the United States severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1979, Washington has established a series of restrictive guidelines to avoid provoking the People's Republic of China (PRC), limiting official exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan.

These restrictions include: high-ranking U.S. executive officials (especially senior military officials) are not allowed to visit Taiwan; senior Taiwanese leaders are not allowed to enter the United States; meetings between officials from both sides cannot be held in official government buildings, and Taiwanese officials are also required to avoid wearing uniforms or displaying official insignia.

Although former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the repeal of these restrictions in the last month of the Trump administration, the Biden administration reinstated some of the restrictions after taking office.

International participation gets a boost: The "Taiwan International Solidarity Act" is unveiled.

Another piece of legislation is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which is a revised version of the TAIPEI Act passed in 2019.

The new bill clearly states that the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971 only addressed the issue of China's representation in the UN and did not involve the representation of Taiwan or the Taiwanese people, thus countering China's claim of excluding Taiwan from international organizations based on the "One China Principle."

At the same time, the bill also expands oversight of China's actions to obstruct Taiwan's international participation, requiring the U.S. government to provide more specific reports on how China influences other countries' relations with Taiwan.

History repeating itself? Two bills failed to pass in 2023.

It is worth noting that the previous version of these two bills actually passed the House of Representatives as early as 2023, but since they were not considered by the Senate, with the new Congress taking office on January 3, 2024, the bills must be reintroduced and go through the process again.

The recent passage by the House of Representatives again demonstrates a strong bipartisan consensus among lawmakers on the Taiwan issue. Next, it depends on the actions of the Senate and whether President Biden will sign the bills to ultimately bring these two pieces of legislation into effect.

The U.S. Congress continues to support Taiwan in the fight against Chinese pressure.

These two bills not only highlight Washington's continued support for Taiwan but also convey a political signal against China's suppression. This action by the U.S. Congress will undoubtedly become an important boost for Taiwan in seeking international space and deepening bilateral relations.

The U.S. House of Representatives takes action again! Two Taiwan support bills passed, striving for international participation and freedom of interaction. First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.