Bipartisan, bicameral bill reinforces U.S. commitment to Taiwan, encourages global partnerships that support democratic values and resist authoritarian influence
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) in introducing the Taiwan Allies Fund Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation to support Taiwan’s international standing and counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) efforts to diplomatically isolate Taiwan on the global stage. The bill authorizes $40 million annually to assist countries that maintain or strengthen relations with Taiwan, have faced coercion or pressure from the PRC due to those relations, and lack sufficient capacity to resist that pressure without additional support. This funding aligns with the Trump Administration’s priority to ensure any U.S. funding abroad is directly tied to America’s safety, strength, and prosperity.
Senator Curtis previewed the bill last week while chairing a Foreign Relations Western Hemisphere Subcommittee hearing on China’s influence over Taiwan’s allies in the Western Hemisphere. The Taiwan Allies Fund Act builds on then-Rep. Curtis’ TAIPEI Act of 2019, which has been pivotal in protecting Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies from Beijing’s coercion.
“China wants the world to turn a blind eye to its nefarious ambitions with Taiwan. We cannot allow nations to fall prey to China’s pressure campaigns, which is why we’ve introduced bipartisan legislation to counter China’s attempts to silence Taiwan’s allies,” said Senator Curtis. “Our bill helps countries stand strong in the face of the CCP and strengthen their ties with Taiwan—and aligns with Secretary Rubio’s goal of ensuring that any U.S. dollars spent abroad are making Americans safer, more secure, and more prosperous.”
“As the People’s Republic of China works to isolate Taiwan from allies, it’s all the more important that we defend its role within the international community. This bipartisan effort will help protect and strengthen Taiwan’s global relations in the face of Beijing’s coercive tactics, while promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“Taiwan represents an important voice at the table in the international community, and it’s critical that the United States stand with them and their partners so that they’re not silenced or sidelined,” said Senator Kim. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that Taiwan has the support it needs to withstand coercion and intimidation we see from the Chinese Communist Party and to protect itself in this increasingly dangerous global moment.”
A companion bill in the House of Representatives is being led by Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the CCP, alongside Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI); Gregory Meeks (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member; Taiwan Caucus Co-Chairs Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Ami Bera (D-CA), and Andy Barr (R-KY); and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
“The CCP’s decades-long campaign to isolate Taiwan jeopardizes our national security and plays into dictators’ desires to control democratic nations’ actions,” said Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi. “This bill pushes back on Beijing’s inclination to bully smaller countries and limit Taiwan’s global network of partners. It is essential to ensuring peace and stability not only in the Indo-Pacific but across the globe.”
“The Chinese Communist Party has waged an unrelenting campaign to isolate Taiwan, using economic blackmail and military intimidation to pressure nations into abandoning their ties,” said Chairman Moolenaar. “Xi Jinping has made clear his desire to dominate Taiwan, and the CCP’s coercion is a direct assault on sovereignty, freedom, and global stability. Taiwan is a critical U.S. partner and plays a key role in the global economy. By reintroducing this legislation, we are standing up to Beijing’s authoritarian expansion, strengthening Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, and ensuring its partners have the support they need to resist CCP pressure. The United States must confront the CCP’s aggression head-on and make clear that we stand with Taiwan and those who defend their freedoms.”
“To push back against Beijing’s pressure campaign and help support Taiwan’s international ties, this bill will ensure the Countering PRC Influence Fund prioritizes Taiwan’s partners, who are some of the top targets for Beijing’s economic coercion and malign influence,” said Representative Meeks.
“In the face of an emboldened PRC, unwavering U.S. support for Taiwan is more important now than ever,” said Representative Connolly. “The PRC’s consistent attempts to intimidate friends of Taiwan and isolate Taiwan in the international sphere must never go unanswered. Today, we speak with one voice in support of our ally, Taiwan.”
“The PRC’s efforts to coerce and isolate Taiwan demand a unified and resolute response from the United States,” said Representative Bera. “This bipartisan legislation underscores America’s commitment to standing firmly with Taiwan and safeguarding our shared democratic values.”
“The United States must lead with strength and clarity in supporting Taiwan and the democratic values it represents,” said Representative Barr. “The Taiwan Allies Fund Act is a vital tool to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s coercive diplomacy and economic pressure, which threatens not just Taiwan’s international standing but the rules-based international order. By bolstering Taiwan’s partners and expanding its global space, this legislation ensures that free nations are not forced to choose between standing with Taiwan and facing retaliation from Beijing. America must remain unwavering in its defense of freedom, sovereignty, and our Indo-Pacific partners.”
“The Chinese Communist Party’s continued campaign to bully and bribe Taiwan’s official and unofficial partners in order to isolate Taiwan is a direct threat to global democracy and Indo-Pacific stability,” said Representative Fitzpatrick. “Our bipartisan legislation affirms that the United States will not stand by as the CCP tries to strong-arm sovereign nations and undermine freedom; we stand unequivocally with Taiwan, and will ensure the free world never yields to authoritarian coercion.”
The full text of the bill can be found here.