Act to Strengthen US-Taiwan Military Cooperation Passed by House Committee

United States House Committee on Armed Services passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA FY23) in the early hours of the 23rd. The content of the bill requires that the U.S. executive branch should continue to support Taiwan’s development of modern defense forces, including training and military exercises with Taiwan, and exchanges visits between high-level defense officials from the United States and Taiwan.

According to a draft released by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Adam Smith on the 20th, Section 1303 is related to Taiwan. The bill mentioned the U.S. Government should establish a cross-functional team to integrate the work of the Department of Defense to address the national security challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); the U.S. side should maintain military power to ensure that the CCP does not use force to unilaterally alter Taiwan’s status and status quo.Regarding the content of the bill, Congress stated that the United States should continue to support Taiwan in developing a modern defense force and allow Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities, including by supporting Taiwan in acquiring advanced defense weapons, instantly reviewing and responding to Taiwan’s arms purchase requests, and working with Taiwan. Conduct practical training and military exercises, exchange visits between U.S. and Taiwan defense officials, and assist in strengthening Taiwan’s reserve forces.  

At the end of the bill, it supports the U.S. Department of Defense to explain Indo-Pacific Command’s operational planning through war games. In particular, it involves the idea of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, and requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a briefing to theHouse Committee on Armed Services by March 15th, 2023, on Taiwan or other military pushes and tabletop exercises related to the US-China strategic competition.