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• US bill reinforces Taiwan defense ties

  ANNUAL DEFENSE ACT: The bill, which still requires approval in the Senate, would require the US president to invite Taiwan to the 2024 Rim of the Pacific exercises

  • Staff writer, with CNA, Washington
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  The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed an annual defense policy bill with provisions to reinforce the country’s partnership with Taiwan, including requiring the US president to invite the nation’s military to join US-led drills in the Asia-Pacific region.

  The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which authorizes annual programs and spending for the US Department of Defense and other US national security programs, was passed by 329 yes votes, while 101 representatives voted against the bill.

  Several pro-Taiwan bills were passed as amendments to the act.

  

  The US Capitol dome in Washington is pictured on Dec. 17, 2020.

  Photo: Reuters

  They included the Taiwan Peace and Stability Act, which focuses on enhancing deterrence measures in the Taiwan Strait; the Taiwan Fellowship Act, which is to give US policymakers the opportunity to live and work in Taiwan; and the Arms Exports Delivery Solutions Act, which seeks to track and expedite deliveries of US arms sales to Taiwan amid growing cross-strait tensions.

  US Representative Ami Bera, who introduced the Taiwan Peace and Stability Act with US Representative Steve Chabot, called the passage of the act “great news.”

  Bera — a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Central Asia — wrote on Twitter that the passage of the act showed bipartisan support for Taiwan.

  “This bipartisan legislation strengthens the U.S.-Taiwan partnership and enhances deterrence over Beijing’s attempts to intimidate and isolate #Taiwan,” Bera wrote.

  In a separate statement on his Web site, Bera said the Taiwan Peace and Stability Act “signals a path forward on U.S. policy toward Taiwan.”

  “Specifically, the legislation drives a whole of government review of options to enhance deterrence over a cross-Strait conflict, strengthens U.S. support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community, and advances U.S.-Taiwan economic ties,” he wrote.

  The summary about the defense authorization act released by the House showed the legislation would reaffirm US support for the defense of Taiwan, while aiming to reaffirm the US Indo-Pacific Command’s authority to conduct joint exercises with Taiwan, “no matter what the Chinese say.”

  In addition, it requires the administration of US President Joe Biden to invite Taiwan to join the 2024 Rim of the Pacific exercise to improve the readiness of the nation’s forces and fully fund military exercises with its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s increasing reach.

  The defense authorization act also requires the US government to assess Taiwan’s air defense capabilities and recommend ways to improve them, while requiring regular updates on the status of deliveries of US military assistance to Taiwan and efforts to expedite such deliveries.

  As the bill included 650 amendments, the full content is not to be released until the House’s staff complete the compilation.

  On June 16, the US Senate’s Armed Services Committee passed its own version of the defense authorization act, but the legislation is pending approval from the full Senate.

  Typically, chambers of the US Congress would pass their own versions of such an act and negotiate a reconciliation of the bills before sending it to the president to sign into law.

  In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked Congress for deepening bilateral military cooperation and exchanges, saying that the passage of the bill “showed the US Congress’ bipartisan support for Taiwan’s national defense ability, and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

  The ministry said it would continue to monitor the review process of the defense authorization act, and keep in touch with the US agencies and congress members involved.
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