The US House of Representatives and the US Senate on Monday agreed a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year which recommends that the US Department of Defense authorize joint military drills with Taiwan.
However, a congressional panel struck out language suggesting that the US military participate in the annual Han Kuang military exercises, which was originally included in the US Senate version of the bill.
The bill must be passed by both chambers of the US Congress and signed by US President Donald Trump before it becomes law.
The US House was scheduled to vote on the bill yesterday, while the US Senate is expected to vote before its recess next month.
Section 1257 of the bill stipulates that the US secretary of defense should comprehensively assess Taiwan’s defense capabilities and provide recommendations for improvement.
Areas the US Congress specifically named for evaluation and advice include the use of reserves; personnel management; force development; recruitment and training; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; technological research and development; procurement; logistics; strategic planning and resource management.
The section requests the US secretary of defense, after consultation with the secretary of state, to report to the US Congress within a year of the bill’s signing into law.
The report should include assessments of and recommendations to Taiwan’s military, and the US’ plans for expanding military cooperation with Taiwan, including the exchange of senior officials, joint training exercises, and transfers of arms and other equipment, especially regarding the development of asymmetric warfare capabilities, the bill says.
Section 1258 states that it is the opinion of the US Congress that “the Taiwan Relations Act [TRA] and the ‘Six Assurances’ are both cornerstones of United States relations with Taiwan,” and that the US should assist Taiwan’s development of “capable, ready and modern defense forces” for self-defense.
Under the TRA, the US should support Taiwan’s arms procurement via governmental and private arms sales, and through the cooperation of industries, especially regarding asymmetric and submarine warfare capabilities, it says.
The US Congress believes the US should improve the predictability of arms sales to Taiwan by ensuring the timely review of and response to requests, it says.
It is the sense of the US Congress that the defense secretary should enhance security exchanges between the two nations, including participation in military exercises in Taiwan, it says.
The US government should facilitate the exchange of officials — including defense officials — between the two nations as stipulated by the Taiwan Travel Act, and expand cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the bill says.
The US Congress recommends the defense secretary to consider authorizing visits by US hospital ships to Taiwan as part of the annual Pacific Partnership military exercise, it said.
The Presidential Office yesterday in a statement thanked the US Congress for its support.
“We deeply appreciate the long-term support of the US Congress for Taiwan in security issues and other aspects,” it said.
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