On Tuesday, US Senators Marsha Blackburn and Brian Schatz introduced the Taiwan Travel and Tourism Coordination Act, aiming to enhance travel and cooperation between the US and Taiwan.
The proposed bill seeks to improve security screenings for travelers from Asia, open new markets for American businesses, and strengthen the economic ties between the two countries. In a joint statement, the senators emphasized that “travel and tourism are vital to economic security,” adding that Taiwan faces pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in this sector.
As Taiwan is a key trading partner in the Indo-Pacific region, the US must help its ally stabilize its economy and grow its industries, the statement said.
Senator Schatz, who represents Hawaii and serves on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, noted that the bill would create new economic opportunities for Taiwan, Hawaii, and the entire US.
“The CCP’s push for global dominance threatens US interests,” Blackburn said, underscoring the importance of securing US borders and helping Taiwan.
The bill also proposes the establishment of a “preclearance” facility in Taiwan, which would allow US Customs and Border Protection personnel to screen travelers at foreign airports before they board US-bound flights. This would enhance security and improve travel collaboration.
Currently, there is no preclearance facility in Asia, despite over 4 million travelers annually from the region. US lawmakers had previously pushed for Taiwan’s participation in the preclearance program in December 2021, but then-Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said in March 2022 that Taiwan was considered too safe, with US officials prioritizing more dangerous regions.
In a separate move, members of the US House of Representatives also reintroduced a bill calling on the US Department of State to review its guidelines for engaging with Taiwan.
Representatives Ann Wagner, Gerry Connolly, and Ted Lieu reintroduced the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which passed the House in 2023 but did not make it through the Senate. The new bill would require periodic reviews of US engagement with Taiwan, with a focus on expanding and deepening the relationship. It also calls for removing any self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan interactions.
Since severing ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1979, the US has limited official engagement with Taiwan, including restricting senior US officials, such as high-ranking military officers, from visiting Taiwan. Although former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted many of these restrictions at the end of the Trump administration, the Biden administration reinstated some.
Wagner expressed that the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act would strengthen US-Taiwan relations and send a message to the world that the US will not bow to communist China.
“Now more than ever, the US must show its unwavering support for Taiwan,” Connolly said.
Lieu added that the bill would promote a unified approach in US-Taiwan relations and solidify the essential partnership between the two nations.
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