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By Micah McCartney
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A bill passed by the United States House of Representatives Monday threatens to exclude China's participation in global organizations if it moves against Taiwan.
Why It Matters
Taiwan’s government, officially the Republic of China, fled the mainland after losing the civil war to communist forces in 1949 and now functions as a sovereign state. The government in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, has vowed to bring the island under its control and in recent years has dramatically stepped up its military activities in the Taiwan Strait to pressure Taipei.
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Taiwan is a top U.S. trade partner and a key hub in tech supply chains, accounting for roughly 90 percent of advanced semiconductor production. Washington, Taipei’s main source of arms sales, is required to help provide for the island’s defense under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
What To Know
The PROTECT Taiwan Act passed overwhelmingly in a 395-2 vote. It would be triggered by a presidential notification of an imminent threat to Taiwan’s security, economy, or social system to the extent that it endangers U.S. interests.
The bill would then require the U.S. to "seek to exclude" China from six international financial organizations: the Group of 20 (G20), the Bank for International Settlements, the Financial Stability Board, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors.
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The president may waive these actions if doing so is in the U.S.' national interest, the bill states.
"The United States’ response to an invasion of Taiwan should be robust and include numerous sanctions and economic penalties. Exclusion from international bodies must be part of that response," bill sponsor Republican Representative Frank Lucas of Oklahoma said during remarks on the House floor.
"If China seeks to disrupt the global order, then China cannot continue to be party to international organizations that seek to preserve that order. China’s position at multilateral economic institutions will be at risk should they engage in hostilities toward Taiwan."
The U.S. and its allies coordinated on similar pressure to punish Russia for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with the White House leading sweeping sanctions, export controls, and financial restrictions aimed at isolating Moscow from the global economy.
"On behalf of the government and the people of Taiwan, I want to sincerely thank Congressman Frank Lucas, Democrat Vicente Gonzalez, and all the members of Congress who supported this bill," Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung wrote in a statement posted to social media. "This achievement once again highlights the cross-party support of the U.S. Congress for Taiwan’s security and democratic resilience."
What People Are Saying
Thomas Massie, a Republican representative for Kentucky, wrote on X: "The PROTECT Taiwan Act is the same type of bill we entertained before the war in Ukraine escalated. The intent is to draw the U.S. into a committal position in another foreign conflict. There are only two U.S. states beginning with a ‘T’; neither are Taiwan. I voted no."
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., told Newsweek: "The Taiwan question lies at the very core of China’s core interests and constitutes the first red line in China-U. S. relations that must not be crossed.
"China once again urges the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U. S. joint communiqués, honor the commitments made by its leaders, stop the dangerous practice of arming Taiwan, cease actions that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and refrain from sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces."
Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, wrote in an X post: “[The exercise] is an act of escalation, threatens regional peace, and violates the basic principles embedded in the United Nations Charter. China is such a troublemaker."
What Happens Next
The PROTECT Taiwan Act must also pass a Senate vote before it goes to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the People’s Liberation Army to develop the capability to take Taiwan by 2027, senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials have warned, though they have stressed this does not mean an invasion is planned for that year.
Trump, who is slated to meet Xi in Beijing in April, has said the Chinese leader assured him he wouldn't move against Taiwan while Trump is in office.
Update 2/12/26 12:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from the Chinese Embassy.
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