Developing A Strategy to Obtain Observer Status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization

Floor Speech

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2426) to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 2426

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Safety, security and peace is important to every citizen of the world, and shared information ensuring wide assistance among police authorities of nations for expeditious dissemination of information regarding criminal activities greatly assists in these efforts.

(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is beneficial for all nations and their police authorities. Internationally shared information with authorized police authorities is vital to peacekeeping efforts.

(3) With a history dating back to 1914, the role of INTERPOL is defined in its constitution: ``To ensure and promote the widest possible mutual assistance between all criminal police authorities within the limits of the laws existing in the different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.''.

(4) Ongoing international threats, including international networks of terrorism, show the ongoing necessity to be ever inclusive of nations willing to work together to combat criminal activity. The ability of police authorities to coordinate, preempt, and act swiftly and in unison is an essential element of crisis prevention and response.

(5) Taiwan maintained full membership in INTERPOL starting in 1964 through its National Police Administration but was ejected in 1984 when the People's Republic of China (PRC) applied for membership.

(6) Nonmembership prevents Taiwan from gaining access to INTERPOL's I-24/7 global police communications system, which provides real-time information on criminals and global criminal activities. Taiwan is relegated to second-hand information from friendly nations, including the United States.

(7) Taiwan is unable to swiftly share information on criminals and suspicious activity with the international community, leaving a huge void in the global crime-fighting efforts and leaving the entire world at risk.

(8) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations and has consistently reiterated that support.

(9) Following the enactment of Public Law 108-235, a law authorizing the Secretary of State to initiate and implement a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly and subsequent advocacy by the United States, Taiwan was granted observer status to the World Health Assembly for six consecutive years since 2009. Both prior to and in its capacity as an observer, Taiwan has contributed significantly to the international community's collective efforts in pandemic control, monitoring, early warning, and other related matters.

(10) INTERPOL's constitution allows for observers at its meetings by ``police bodies which are not members of the Organization''.

(b) Taiwan's Participation in INTERPOL.--The Secretary of State shall--

(1) develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and at other related meetings, activities, and mechanisms thereafter; and

(2) instruct INTERPOL Washington to officially request observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and to actively urge INTERPOL member states to support such observer status and participation for Taiwan.

(c) Report Concerning Observer Status for Taiwan in INTERPOL.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report, in unclassified form, describing the United States strategy to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan in appropriate international organizations, including INTERPOL, and at other related meetings, activities, and mechanisms thereafter. The report shall include the following:

(1) A description of the efforts the Secretary has made to encourage member states to promote Taiwan's bid to obtain observer status in appropriate international organizations, including INTERPOL.

(2) A description of the actions the Secretary will take to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan in appropriate international organizations, including INTERPOL, and at other related meetings, activities, and mechanisms thereafter.

I rise in strong support of S. 2426, the Senate version of a bill that previously passed the House with strong bipartisan support.

I especially want to commend Chairman Matt Salmon for authoring the House version of this important measure and Senator Gardner for doing the same on the Senate side. Their leadership on this issue is much appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today will help secure observer status for Taiwan at INTERPOL. The bill requires the Secretary of State to develop and execute a strategy to ensure that Taiwan participates in INTERPOL's next general assembly meeting in Indonesia. With this piece of legislation, we are sending a clear message that safety and security are a priority.

Taiwan, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, is a model of democratization and openness, a thriving nation of 23 million people. Its successful transition from authoritarianism to a thriving democracy is a shining example for so many other nations.

The sole reason that Taiwan is excluded from the international organizations is the persistent opposition of the communist government of mainland China.

But China's opposition puts politics over the safety and security of people. In a world where terrorism and international drug and human trafficking networks are global in scope, the response must be coordinated globally as well.

At this time, Taiwan relies on delayed, secondhand information from the United States about international criminals and criminal activities, making it more vulnerable to security threats. Likewise, Taiwan cannot share the law enforcement information it gathers to the benefit of INTERPOL members.

It makes no sense to exclude Taiwan from INTERPOL due to a political pique, just as it makes no sense to exclude Taiwan from the World Health Organization, another example of the government of mainland China putting politics over the health and safety of people.

But there is another reason for having a good global citizen such as Taiwan as a member of INTERPOL: INTERPOL is an organization that is in need of reform.

A number of authoritarian countries abuse the INTERPOL red notice system not against criminals, but to harass political dissidents and exiles who are unable to travel internationally for fear that they will be arrested and face extradition in their home country, where they suffer persecution, imprisonment, and even death.

For example, Jacob Ostreicher, a legitimate American businessman who was the victim of an extortion ring involving corrupt Bolivian Government officials and jailed in Bolivia, a matter on which my subcommittee held three hearings and for which I traveled to Bolivia with our colleague Nydia Velazquez, has, since his return to the United States, discovered that he has been red-noticed by vindictive Bolivian Government officials.

The red notice effectively prevents him from traveling abroad. He is currently going through a time-consuming and costly process to clear his name.

To help encourage reform at INTERPOL, we should welcome democracies such as Taiwan.

I also believe strengthening Taiwan's law enforcement capabilities benefits American citizens as much as it does the Taiwanese.

Every year, Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Americans travel to Taiwan, and this bill will certainly help Taiwan's police protect American citizens and other internationalists as they travel to Taiwan. It is a good bill. It is an important bill.
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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Taiwan already missed the INTERPOL General Assembly meeting that took place last fall in Kigali, Rwanda. Our hope is that with the passage of this bill, the United States will be able to figure out a way for Taiwan to observe the General Assembly meeting later this year in Indonesia.

It is time that we insist that Taiwan be an observer to INTERPOL so that everyone can benefit from increased safety and security. Blocking Taiwan from INTERPOL is not in the interest of any nation. And as Judge Poe just mentioned a moment ago, even the People's Republic of China would benefit because this is all about trying to catch and to inhibit criminals from moving effortlessly across borders; so it is in its interest as well not to block Taiwan.

I urge my colleagues to support the Salmon-Sherman bill which is before us today.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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