The Armed Services Committee of the US House of Representatives on Friday passed a provision requiring the defense secretary to help Taiwan improve its national defense.
The provision, included in the defense authorization bill for this year, requires the secretary of defense to complete a comprehensive plan for joint military activities with Taiwan within six months.
The plan should "include a wide range of programs, activities, exercises and arrangements focused on threat analysis, military doctrine, force planning, logistical support, intelligence collection and analysis, operational tactics, techniques and procedures, civil-military relations," aimed at enhancing interoperability between the US and Taiwan armed forces, according to the provision.
It also asks the defense secretary to submit the plan to Congress at least 30 days before implementation.
The bill, which now awaits passage by the House, may have a far-reaching influence on US-Taiwan defense cooperation.
An anonymous US defense official said the US and Taiwan would have a considerable level of contact and open communication channels if a war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait even though the Taiwanese military is currently unable to identify US military aircraft or naval ships.
Despite its support for Taiwan, the George W. Bush administration is expected to be displeased if the provision is passed because helping Taiwan's military is something that can only be done quietly at the moment, the US official said.
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