Senator Marco Rubio is leading a pack of senators who are calling for the United States to back Taiwan as China calls for other nations to cut ties with Taiwan.
Along with other senators, Rubio is introducing the “Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act.”
His office explained the measure, saying that “This legislation is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s standing around the world and comes in response to several nations breaking official diplomatic ties with Taiwan due to Chinese pressure and bullying tactics. The TAIPEI Act requires a U.S. strategy to engage with governments around the world to support Taiwan’s diplomatic recognition or strengthening unofficial ties with Taiwan. Additionally, it authorizes the State Department to downgrade U.S. relations with any government that takes adverse actions with regard to Taiwan, and to suspend or alter U.S. foreign assistance, including foreign military financing, to governments that take adverse actions with regard to Taiwan.”
Rubio also added that “This important legislation reaffirms our commitment to the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and allows for the State Department to take diplomatic action against governments that alter diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of China. China’s insidious agenda to isolate Taiwan cannot go unanswered, and I call on my colleagues to quickly pass this bill.”
