TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US senators from both sides of the aisle on Monday again proposed the Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act, which is designed to strengthen bilateral ties and thwart Chinese coercion.

Senators John Curtis and Democrat Jeff Merkley jointly announced the reintroduction of the bill that “reaffirms US policy to support Taiwan’s democracy and its engagement with the world.” They said the bill comes at a time when “Taiwan faces increasing military and diplomatic aggression from China.”

Merkley said, “As longstanding partners, the United States and Taiwan share a strong commitment to preserving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region." Merkley added, "The United States must use all the tools at our disposal to strengthen our relationship with Taiwan, one of East Asia’s most vibrant democracies, and together advance our shared vision of a world that is built on democratic governance, human rights, and the rule of law.”

“Our alliance with Taiwan is one of the most strategically and morally significant partnerships America has in the Indo-Pacific, and we need to ensure our policies match our principles,” said Senator Curtis. 

He added, "The Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act will deepen our relationship with Taiwan by elevating the status of our top diplomat, incentivizing high-level cooperation and visits between our governments, and combating Chinese Communist Party disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan.”

The bill requires the president to establish an "Interagency Taiwan Policy Task Force" to strengthen Taiwan-US relations. The task force is to include the Office of the President, the National Security Council, the State Department, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative within 90 days of the bill taking effect.

Under the proposed act, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan office must be appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, and the title should be changed to "Representative." According to the US Constitution, presidential appointees for US ambassadors to foreign countries require Senate approval, but the AIT director is appointed by the US Secretary of State and does not require Senate confirmation.

The bill would mandate that Taiwanese officials be invited to attend bilateral or multilateral high-level summits, military exercises, economic dialogues, and forums. It calls on the US permanent representative to the UN and other officials to actively support “Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, including membership where applicable.”

To prevent Chinese coercion, the US government would consult with businesses and non-governmental entities to develop a code of conduct for interactions with the CCP. The bill prohibits any US government agency from formally or informally recognizing China's sovereignty claims over Taiwan without the consent of Taiwanese.

It calls on Washington and Taipei to resume meetings under the US-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade, or other agreements that promote bilateral trade. Such accords must provide Taiwan with high levels of labor rights and environmental protection to deepen economic ties between the two countries. 

In response to China's "sharp power operations" against Taiwan, the bill calls for the secretary of state to develop policies within 180 days of the bill's enactment to address China's disinformation campaigns, cyber intrusions, political influence on local parties, financial institutions, and media organizations in Taiwan. There will also be support for exchanges and technical assistance to bolster the ability of Taiwan's legal system to repel sharp power operations.

Marco Rubio and Merkley previously introduced this bill in 2020, 2021, and 2023. It is considered by many to be an updated version of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.