Washington: U.S. lawmakers across party lines introduced a resolution expressing concerns over China’s threats toward Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. This resolution comes ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May.
According to Focus Taiwan, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee stated that the resolution, led by Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons alongside Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, highlights bipartisan concerns regarding the growing threats China poses to U.S. national security and economic prosperity. The resolution calls for a sustained focus on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, protecting American workers and businesses from unfair economic practices, maintaining leadership in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, supporting allies and partners, preserving peace across the Taiwan Strait, and promoting human rights and democratic values.
The resolution indicates that China has rapidly expanded and modernized its military capabilities, compromising freedom of navigation in crucial commercial lanes, including the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. It further asserts that China aims to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait through coercion or force, potentially delaying or denying third-party involvement in contingency plans if conflict arises.
Additionally, the resolution accuses China of using its influence to obstruct Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. Senator Ricketts emphasized the perceived threat from China, stating the importance of deterring what he referred to as “Communist China” and standing with allies threatened by Beijing.
In the lead-up to the U.S.-China summit, Senator Coons highlighted the message being sent by the U.S. Senate. He remarked on the need to recognize the nature of Xi Jinping and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), urging the use of all available U.S. government tools to counter aggressive practices.
President Trump is scheduled to visit China on May 14-15 to meet with President Xi, marking the first summit since their previous meeting in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025. Resolutions in the U.S. Congress reflect lawmakers’ positions or opinions on specific issues and do not require presidential approval, thus having no legal effect.