US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi plans to reintroduce the Taiwan Allies Fund Act “in the very near future,” he said in a think tank online discussion yesterday.
Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), made his comments during a talk called “How Beijing lures Taiwan’s diplomatic partners into switching recognition,” hosted by the Atlantic Council.
“The US has to do everything in its power to protect Taiwan’s rightful international place. Taiwan is not just a valuable international partner, it’s a beacon of freedom and democracy too,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Through economic coercion and “opaque agreements,” China has pressured countries to switch diplomatic ties away from Taiwan, Krishnamoorthi said, specifically mentioning countries like the Solomon Islands and Nauru.
Citing the example of Nauru, which switched diplomatic recognition away from Taiwan following the 2024 presidential election, Krishnamoorthi said it demonstrates how China “punishes” Taiwan for its democratic choices.
“This cannot continue to happen until those who recognize Taiwan become zero, which is what Beijing wants,” he said.
The difference between the US and Beijing, Krishnamoorthi said, is that while China seeks to “extract,” the US works to promote “development, progress and opportunities” around the world.
The goal of the Taiwan Allies Fund Act is to support projects that deepen international security and include Taiwan in international sustainable development efforts, he said.
The bill would authorize aid to countries with official or strong unofficial relations with Taiwan, Krishnamoorthi added.
“This bill pushes against the CCP’s illegitimate claim that Taiwan cannot play a role in the international community,” he said.
The bill enables sovereign nations to make decisions free from coercion, he added.
It would be a bipartisan and bicameral bill, Krishnamoorthi said.
Last year, Krishnamoorthi and other members of the committee proposed the bipartisan bill to provide foreign assistance to countries that advance Taiwan’s participation in international bodies, counter China’s influence and propaganda or diversify supply chains away from China.
That bill would have allowed eligible countries to receive up to US$5 million (NT$165.27 million) annually from a broader Countering the People’s Republic of China Malign Influence Fund.
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