South OC Times

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act (H.R. 2416), a bipartisan initiative spearheaded by Representatives Young Kim from California and Gerry Connolly from Virginia. The bill aims to counteract Beijing's efforts to prevent Taiwan's involvement in international organizations.

Representative Kim, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, stated, "Beijing continues to do all it can to isolate Taiwan from the outside world and silence Taiwan’s voice on the world stage. Taiwan has a track record of success in democracy and global health security, and its perspective deserves to be heard." She emphasized that this legislation allows the United States to actively support Taiwan's participation in international forums.

Connolly highlighted concerns over China's influence on international organizations, saying, "For too long, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has distorted policies and procedures at international organizations to assert its sovereignty claims over Taiwan, often to the detriment of global health, governance, and security efforts." He expressed satisfaction with the bill's passage in the House.

The new act builds upon previous legislation known as the TAIPEI Act enacted in March 2020. It seeks to clarify that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not limit U.S. actions supporting Taiwan internationally. It also encourages collaboration with allies against Chinese efforts undermining Taiwan's diplomatic relations and requires reporting on any Chinese attempts affecting Taiwan's role globally.