TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate Tuesday is intended to promote travel between the US and Taiwan.
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Brian Schatz Tuesday introduced a bill to study the feasibility of establishing preclearance facilities in Taiwan to enhance security and streamline travel procedures. The Taiwan Travel and Tourism Coordination Act requires the federal government to identify opportunities to strengthen bilateral travel and tourism cooperation.
The bill also aims to promote activities and collaboration among partners in the US-Taiwan travel and tourism industries. It also seeks to coordinate with Taiwan to ensure the security of international travelers, and study the feasibility of establishing preclearance facilities in Taiwan.
The senators said that tourism plays a vital role in national economic security but Taiwan faces coercion from China. They said the US must assist its allies.
The lawmakers pointed out that China's efforts to assert global dominance pose a clear threat to the interests of both Taiwan and the US. To ensure homeland security, they said the US should establish preclearance facilities in Asia.
Preclearance refers to the deployment of US Customs and Border Protection officers at designated foreign airports to conduct inspections before passengers board flights to the US. According to senators, pre-clearance is vital to enhance security and streamline travel.
Blackburn said the US must require CBP to inspect travelers departing from Asian airports for homeland security purposes. She said the bill will also “help identify opportunities to strengthen our economic partnership with Taiwan.”
Schatz, whose constituency is in Hawaii, told CNA that Taiwan is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region. He added the bill would create more economic opportunities for Taiwan, Hawaii, and the US.
In recent years, Taiwan has sought to join the CBP Overseas Preclearance Program. In 2021, a bipartisan group of US senators and representatives sent a letter to then-Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller, supporting the establishment of an overseas preclearance facility at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
In 2022, former Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) confirmed that Taiwan's application for the US Overseas Preclearance Program had stalled because "the US thought Taiwan was too safe, and had to prioritize more dangerous regions."
