Taiwan Representative Office Act (S.974)
The current name of Taiwan’s de facto embassy in the U.S., the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office” (TECRO), presents several issues.
First, the name is misleading, as the inclusion of “Taipei” implies that the office represents only Taiwan’s capital rather than the entire nation and its people. As a result, the name TECRO fails to adequately reflect Taiwan’s national identity and sovereign dignity.
Second, labeling the office as an “economic and cultural” representative office understates the depth and breadth of U.S.-Taiwan relations. Their partnership extends beyond these areas to include defense, science, technology, public health, energy, and environmental cooperation, among others.
Third, the name TECRO is inconsistent with the longstanding U.S. policy of referring to Taiwan simply as “Taiwan.” This policy is evident by the names of the Taiwan Relations Act, the Taiwan Travel Act, the American Institute in Taiwan, etc.
On March 12, 2025, U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan “Taiwan Representative Office Act” (S.974) to rename TECRO to the “Taiwan Representative Office” (TRO), making clear that it represents Taiwan and its people. We urge the reintroduction of this crucial legislation in the House and its passage in the 119th Congress.