The US Senate last week passed the PORCUPINE Act to speed up US defense sales and facilitate the transfer of military equipment from US allies to Taiwan.
The act, which amends the Arms Export Control Act and is formally called the Providing Our Regional Companions Upgraded Protection in Nefarious Environments Act, cleared the Senate by unanimous consent on Thursday last week.
It next moves to the US House of Representatives for consideration. If passed by the House, it would be sent to the president for promulgation.
Photo: AFP
Under the legislation, the Arms Export Control Act would include Taiwan among those eligible for shorter certification and congressional notification periods for arms sales, while also expediting licensing procedures for allies seeking to transfer military equipment to Taiwan.
Taiwan would receive treatment comparable to that of NATO members, as well as Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — collectively referred to as “NATO Plus.”
The act also requires the US secretary of state to determine within 90 days of the bill’s final passage if an expedited decisionmaking process should be created to govern third party transfers of weapons to Taiwan.
The Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a Washington-based non-governmental Taiwan advocacy group, welcomed the Senate’s passage of the bill.
The group said in a statement on Sunday that the bill “removes critical bureaucratic hurdles to arming Taiwan, ensuring Taiwan maintains the capabilities necessary to deter invasion” by China.
The bill would also create a mechanism to facilitate third-party transfers of US-made defense equipment from NATO and NATO Plus countries, thereby expanding the coalition able to support Taiwan, it said.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest foundry service provider, yesterday said that global semiconductor revenue is projected to hit US$1.5 trillion in 2030, after the figure exceeds US$1 trillion this year, as artificial intelligence (AI) demand boosts consumption of token and compute power. “We are still at the beginning of the AI revolution, but we already see a significant impact across the whole semiconductor ecosystem,” TSMC deputy cochief operating officer Kevin Zhang (張曉強) said at the company’s annual technology symposium in Hsinchu City. “It is fair to say that in the past decade, smartphones and other mobile devices were
US-CHINA SUMMIT: MOFA welcomed US reassurance of no change in its Taiwan policy; Trump said he did not comment when Xi talked of opposing independence US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan. “I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right
TAIWAN ISSUE: US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said on the first day of meetings that ‘it wouldn’t be a US-China summit without the Taiwan issue coming up’ There were no surprises on the first day of the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday, as the government reiterated that cross-strait stability is crucial to the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the world. As the two presidents met for a highly anticipated summit yesterday, Chinese state media reported that Xi warned Trump that missteps regarding Taiwan could push their two countries into “conflict.” Trump arrived in China with accolades for his host, calling Xi a “great leader” and “friend,” and extending an invitation to visit the White House
SECURITY: Taipei presses the US for arms supplies, saying the arms sales are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan but also serve as a mutual deterrent against regional threats Taiwan is committed to preserving the cross-strait “status quo” and contributing to regional peace and stability, the Presidential Office said yesterday. “It is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) reiterated, adding that Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The statements came after US President Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese independence. Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) had pressed him not to support Taiwan. Taiwan depends heavily on US security backing to deter China from carrying
RSS