Proposed legislation in the US House of Representatives calls for military collaboration between the United States and Taiwan
US-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Bill Introduced
A bipartisan group of US representatives, including Zach Nunn and Jill Tokuda, have introduced a draft bill aiming to strengthen the defense relationship between the United States and Taiwan. The US-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership bill, if passed, will direct the U.S. Department of Defense to collaborate directly with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense through their respective Defense Innovation Units [1][2].
The primary goal of the bill is to accelerate joint development and deployment of next-generation dual-use defense technologies. These technologies include drones, artificial intelligence (AI), microchips, advanced surveillance, directed energy weapons, missile, and reconnaissance technologies [1][2][3]. This collaboration is designed to fast-track critical capabilities deployment, thereby reinforcing deterrence against coercive actions by the Chinese Communist Party.
The bill also seeks to deepen technological ties by prioritizing coordination on defense supply chain resilience and bolstering the defense industrial bases of both nations. This partnership is intended to increase market opportunities for U.S. and Taiwan-based defense companies and harmonize global security postures through emerging technologies [1][2][4].
Key aspects of the bill include establishing a strategic partnership between U.S. and Taiwanese defense innovation units for direct collaboration, prioritizing development of advanced technologies that have both military and civilian applications (dual-use), strengthening supply chain resilience and the industrial defense base on both sides, and accelerating deployment of cutting-edge defense technologies to deter aggression, primarily from China [1][2][3][4].
In a news release, Jill Tokuda's office quoted John Moolenaar, stating that Chinese President Xi Jinping expands coercion aimed at Taiwan with each passing day. Moolenaar also added that the legislation would strengthen defense industrial collaboration with Taiwan and enhance shared readiness against an increasingly threatening Beijing [5].
The defense partnership laid out in the bill is described as a critical deterrence tool that accelerates Taiwan's access to next-generation US technology. The bill, if passed, will send a clear message to the Chinese Communist Party that the US will stand firm against aggression and invest in the tools needed to defend freedom in the Indo-Pacific [1][2].
Notably, John Moolenaar and Ashley Hinson joined as original cosponsors of the bill. The exact date when the bill was introduced is not specified, but the news release about the bill was issued by Tokuda’s office on Thursday [5].
References: [1] https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3954 [2] https://www.moolenaar.house.gov/media/press-releases/moolenaar-hinson-introduce-us-taiwan-defense-innovation-partnership-bill [3] https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4381856 [4] https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/07/22/house-bill-would-accelerate-u-s-taiwan-defense-tech-collaboration/ [5] https://www.house.gov/representatives/jill-tokuda/news/press-releases/tokuda-moolenaar-introduce-bipartisan-us-taiwan-defense-innovation-partnership-bill
The US-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership bill, if passed, will not only strengthen the politics between the United States and Taiwan but also significantly impact the general news landscape, as it aims to accelerate joint development and deployment of next-generation dual-use defense technologies that could deter war-and-conflicts, particularly from China. This collaboration is designed to bolster global security postures through emerging technologies, increase market opportunities for defense companies in both nations, and reinforce deterrence against coercive actions by the Chinese Communist Party.
