Foreign adversaries, including China, have significantly increased covert tactics to infiltrate American colleges and K-12 schools. They do this to steal research, spread propaganda, and silence students and academics. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and...
News
Latest News
Rubio, Colleagues Issue Statement on Maduro Regime’s Harassment of Democratic Opposition
The criminal Maduro regime issued bogus warrants to arrest members of the Venezuelan opposition, including several campaign staffers working for opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the opposition’s primary election earlier this year. Last night, Roberto...
Rubio Habla con Ninoska Pérez en La Poderosa
El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) habló con Ninoska Pérez en La Poderosa 670 AM, sobre los grupos en EE.UU. que apoyan la masacre que lidera Hamás contra Israel, sobre los reclamos para un cese de fuego, sobre el arresto de Manuel Rocha y más. Una...
ICYMI: Rubio Defends Outbound Investment Screening
Yes, We Should Restrict U.S. Investment in China U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) December 7, 2023 National Review [A] recent investigation reveals that U.S. firm BlackRock is funneling the assets of millions of unwitting Americans into Chinese companies directly...
ICYMI: Rubio: Stop Foreign Adversaries from Corrupting American Schools
Stop foreign adversaries like China from corrupting American schools U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) December 7, 2023 New York Post Before lawmakers headed home for turkey and cranberry sauce, the bipartisan, bicameral US-China Economic and Security Review Commission...
Rubio, Scott Introduce Resolution Commemorating Victims of the Nas Pensacola Terrorist Attack
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced a resolution honoring the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attack at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. “Four years ago, three of our brave service members tragically lost their lives in a senseless...
Rubio, Curtis, Menendez, and Pappas Introduce Legislation to Rename Taiwan’s De Facto Diplomatic Outpost
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Taiwan Representative Office Act (S. 3573), a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would direct the U.S. Secretary of State to enter into negotiations to rename the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington, D.C. the “Taiwan Representative Office,” which better reflects its status as Taiwan’s de facto diplomatic mission to the United States. Companion legislation was introduced by Congressmen John Curtis (R-UT) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rubio is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Menendez is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
“Taiwan is an indispensable partner of the United States and an exemplary beacon of democracy in the Indo-Pacific region,” Rubio said. “I can think of no better way to recognize Taiwan’s contributions to global stability than by renaming their office in Washington, D.C., the seat of American democracy, to better reflect its actual purpose. The U.S. must make clear that, despite all efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to intimidate and coerce Taiwan, hostile powers have no right to claim sovereignty over democratic countries.”
“At a time of unprecedented international tension and as Beijing continues to seek to bully and coerce Taiwan, this important bill demonstrates the United States’ critical support for the people of Taiwan, and for Taiwan’s right, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to determine its own future and to be able to enjoy greater respect and diplomatic space as a member of the international community,” Menendez said.
“It is long overdue to correctly recognize the de facto embassy of our longtime friend and ally, Taiwan, as the Taiwan Representative Office,” Curtis said. “We shouldn’t tolerate pressure from China to undermine the sovereignty of the Taiwanese people, which China is also attempting to do by pressuring Lithuania and other countries. America should stand by our democratic allies, and always stand with our friends around the world facing pressure and coercion from authoritarian regimes.”
“As China continues to bully and intimidate Taiwan, this bipartisan legislation to properly recognize their de facto embassy demonstrates our continued support for the sovereignty of our democratic ally, Taiwan,” Pappas said. “We must take this step to strengthen our diplomatic partnership with Taiwan and counter China’s repeated attempts to threaten and coerce nations around the globe.”
Background:
- The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States represents Taiwan in the U.S. in the absence of formal diplomatic relations and a formal embassy, functioning as a de facto embassy.
- In November, Lithuania, a NATO ally, allowed Taiwan to open an unofficial embassy using its own name, rather than China’s preferred name “Chinese Taipei.”
- Viewing the move as a violation of the “One China” policy, Beijing recalled its ambassador to Lithuania, downgraded diplomatic relations with Vilnius, and barred all imports of Lithuanian goods.
- Reports have now emerged that Beijing is pressuring European companies to stop using Lithuanian products in their supply chain — an unprecedented intervention that may violate international trade rules.
- In a measure of economic support, Taiwan set up a $1B credit program to fund projects by Lithuanian and Taiwanese companies and created a $200M investment fund to help Lithuania.
- The U.S. renaming TECRO demonstrates solidarity with Lithuania, an NATO ally.
- In September, news broke that the Biden Administration had plans to rename TECRO to TRO. However, seven months later, this step has still not been taken.