The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a US$895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes the Pentagon to provide up to US$300 million worth of military articles and training in support of Taiwan.
In a 281-140 vote, the House approved the 1,800-page national security bill to authorize funding for the US Department of Defense for next fiscal year.
US Representative Jack Bergman, chairman of the US House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, before the vote said that it was a “critically important bill” that authorizes a Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, which would enable Taiwan to maintain its self-defense capabilities.
Photo: Graeme Sloan, EPA-EFE
US Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the US and the Chinese Communist Party, in a statement after the vote said that the bill requires “a feasibility study of entering into defense industrial agreements with Taiwan to promote lethality and supply chain resilience.”
Under the act, the US Department of Defense is authorized to earmark up to US$300 million next year to promote the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative.
A source on the US House Armed Service Committee on Tuesday said that the initiative is modeled on the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the US to purchase military equipment directly from private companies for allies or partners.
The NDAA would allow the US Department of Defense and the US Department of State to augment Taiwan’s military capabilities in areas such as anti-tank, uncrewed aerial vehicles, long-range precision weapons, cyberdefense, electronic warfare and counter-electronic warfare capabilities, and integrated air and missile defense systems.
It also authorizes the provision of radars, anti-ship missiles, secure communications equipment, ammunition, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, and critical combat training.
To speed up the delivery of arms to Taiwan, the bill requires the state and defense departments to provide Taiwan with defense articles and services from US inventories, and to provide defense supplies to foreign partners to replenish the stocks of similar supplies provided by those governments to Taiwan.
The bill also contains provisions related to the establishment of a partnership program between the US and Taiwan on military trauma care, amputation and amputee care, and mental health conditions associated with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The NDAA includes a “sense of congress” — a formal expression of opinion, but is not legally binding — that proposes inviting Taiwan’s naval forces to participate in next year’s Rim of the Pacific exercise.
It also includes another bill called the “BOLSTER Act,” which would pave the way for the US and its European counterparts to develop “coordinated plans” in response to any attempts by China to overthrow Taiwan’s government or occupy any of the territory under Taipei’s control.
Similar measures could also be imposed if China mounts cyberattacks that threaten civilian or military infrastructure in Taiwan or imposes a naval blockade around Taiwan.
The bill also requires the US president to submit a report to the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and to the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the expected economic impact of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s 30-day and 180-day blockade or quarantine of Taiwan.
The NDAA, finalized by the US Senate and House on Saturday, required the approval of both chambers of the US Congress and is to take effect once signed into law by the US president.
The allocation requires the passage of a separate appropriations bill.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is unlikely to attempt an invasion of Taiwan during US president-elect Donald Trump’s time in office, Taiwanese and foreign academics said on Friday. Trump is set to begin his second term early next year. Xi’s ambition to establish China as a “true world power” has intensified over the years, but he would not initiate an invasion of Taiwan “in the near future,” as his top priority is to maintain the regime and his power, not unification, Tokyo Woman’s Christian University distinguished visiting professor and contemporary Chinese politics expert Akio Takahara said. Takahara made the comment at a
Upon its completion next year, the new Tamkang Bridge (淡江大橋) in New Taipei City is to be an important landmark in Taiwan, alongside Taipei 101, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) said today. The bridge is scheduled to be completed in December next year and open to the public in the first half of 2026, connecting New Taipei City’s Tamsui (淡水) and Bali (八里) districts. It is an asymmetric single-tower suspension bridge, nearly 70 stories tall, designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. The bridge aims to alleviate traffic in Tamsui and on the Guandu Bridge (關渡大橋), in addition to increasing the
EXERCISES: A 2022 article by a Chinese intelligence expert identified at least six People’s Liberation Army assault boats hidden inside the Hong Kong-flagged ship A Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship that had been docked at Taichung Port and which previously took part in Chinese military exercises departed from the port on Saturday, the Taiwan International Ports Corp’s Taichung branch said yesterday. The statement came in response to a post on the social media platform X by Taiwan-based journalist Chris Horton that said the ship, the SCSC Fortune, had been docked at the port since Tuesday and questioned whether Taiwan has any rules regarding foreign civilian vessels that have participated in People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercises. Horton referenced a 2022 article by Chinese intelligence expert Rod Lee that
PROBLEMATIC: Popular hotpot restaurant chains were among the list of restaurants that failed the inspection and have been ordered to remove bad ingredients The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of hotpot ingredients in hotpot restaurants resulted in a 16.7 percent failure rate. Eight vegetables had excessive pesticide residue and two other items had aflatoxin and excessive preservatives. As the weather is getting colder, more people eat at hotpot restaurants so a random inspection of ingredients was conducted in October to ensure food safety, the department said. Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) said 60 different ingredients were tested: 15 high-risk vegetables, 15 processed food items, 10 soy-based food items, five meat items, five lamb items, five seafood items and five peanut powder
RSS