Pappas, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Rename Taiwan’s De Facto Diplomatic Outpost

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) re-introduced the Taiwan Representative Office Act, a bipartisan 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.

“I am committed to standing with all our democratic allies against threats to their security and sovereignty, and we must continue to strengthen our diplomatic partnership with our democratic ally Taiwan as they face continued threats from Xi Jinping’s authoritarian regime,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan policy would properly recognize Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington to demonstrate our continued support and counter Xi Jinping’s attempts to intimidate Taiwan and other allies.”

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. At a time when China’s genocidal regime actively bullies, undermines, and intimidates Taiwan worldwide, the United States should further strengthen its diplomatic partnership with Taiwan by renaming the nation’s de facto embassy.

“Taiwan is our friend, and we are treating them like second-class people because of the pressure and bullying by China,” said Congressman Bacon. “We want to elevate what we call their diplomatic facilities and their senior diplomatic representative. Taiwan deserves better from the world’s superpower for freedom.”