{"id":21744,"date":"2025-03-12T16:33:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T20:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/?p=21744"},"modified":"2025-03-12T19:34:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T23:34:35","slug":"curtis-merkley-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-rename-tecro-as-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/es\/curtis-merkley-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-rename-tecro-as-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"CURTIS, MERKLEY INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO RENAME TECRO AS TAIWAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Legislation reaffirms the United States\u2019 commitment to Taiwan\u2019s democratic governance and international engagement<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington DC<\/em>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the\u00a0Taiwan Representative Office Act<\/em><\/a>, bipartisan legislation to rename Taiwan\u2019s de facto embassy in the United States from the \u201cTaipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)\u201d to the Taiwan Representative Office (TRO). This legislation underscores the United States\u2019 commitment to Taiwan\u2019s democracy and enhances clarity in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe United States shouldn\u2019t tolerate pressure from China to undermine the Taiwanese people. Instead, it should stand by its democratic allies and friends around the world facing pressure and coercion from authoritarian regimes,\u201d said Senator Curtis.<\/strong> \u201cBy renaming TECRO as the Taiwan Representative Office, our bill acknowledges the reality that this office represents the people of Taiwan, not just the economic interests of the city of Taipei.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cTaiwan\u2019s democracy is vital to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and the United States must continue pursuing opportunities that strengthen our partnership with Taiwan,\u201d dijo el senador Merkley.<\/strong> \u201cThis bipartisan bill demonstrates the United States\u2019 longstanding commitment to supporting Taiwan by properly recognizing Taiwan\u2019s status. We must continue to send a strong message that the United States will use all resources at our disposal to foster healthy, robust relationships with our democratic partners, including Taiwan.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Fondo:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain substantive relations with Taiwan, in 1979, Congress enacted the Taiwan Relations Act<\/em>, which emphasized the United States\u2019 commitment to Taiwan\u2019s security and autonomy and led to the establishment of TECRO, which functions as Taiwan\u2019s de facto embassy in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The choice to use \u201cTaipei\u201d instead of \u201cTaiwan\u201d in TECRO\u2019s naming convention was to avoid offending China, which holds the position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and insists that it falls under Beijing\u2019s sovereignty. China has not ruled out using military force to assert control over Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November 2021, Lithuania\u2014a NATO ally of the United States\u2014allowed Taiwan to open an unofficial embassy which included the name \u201cTaiwan\u201d, rather than China\u2019s preferred name “Chinese Taipei.” Beijing retaliated against this decision in response, but Lithuania withstood China\u2019s economic warfare and kept the office open. The Biden Administration\u00a0seg\u00fan se informa<\/a>\u00a0considered renaming Taiwan\u2019s representative office but did not follow through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

El Taiwan Representative Office Act<\/em> elevates the United States\u2019 relationship with Taiwan while maintaining that the United States\u2019 One China Policy<\/em> is not to be confused with China\u2019s One China Principle.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistent with this policy, the Senators\u2019 legislation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n