WASHINGTON, USA – As first reported by the Washington Examiner, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced the Arm Taiwan Act, which would strengthen Taiwan’s defenses against a Chinese invasion by allocating $3 billion annually for a new Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative. It would also condition future conventional arms sales on Taiwan’s progress preparing its military and fielding the weapons required to defeat China’s war plans.
“General Secretary Xi Jinping has made unification of Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary, a key part of his legacy and the CCP is only growing more aggressive watching the Biden Administration’s weakness in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran. Congress needs to step up to restore deterrence before it is too late. I am proud to join Senator Hawley in introducing the Arm Taiwan Act to provide Taiwan with the necessary resources and weapons to defeat an attempted invasion,” said Rep. Gallagher.
The Arm Taiwan Act does the following:
- Tasks the Secretary of Defense to form the Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative and authorizes $3 billion annually for the Initiative for fiscal years 2023 to 2027.
- Specifies how funds authorized for the Initiative should be used, with a specific emphasis on providing Taiwan with equipment, training, and other support required to accelerate Taiwan’s deployment of the asymmetric defense capabilities required to delay, degrade, and deny a Chinese invasion against Taiwan.
- Conditions provision of assistance under the Initiative on annual certification that Taiwan is matching U.S. investments in its asymmetric defenses, increasing defense spending, acquiring asymmetric defense capabilities as quickly as possible regardless of source, and implementing defense reforms, especially with regard to Taiwan’s reserve forces.
- Conditions the future sale, lease, or other provision of conventional weapons by the United States to Taiwan on demonstrated progress by Taiwan toward fielding a credible asymmetric defense.
Senator Josh Hawley introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Click here for the text of the bill.
