Sec. 1258. Statement of policy and sense of Senate on the Taiwan Relations Act

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It is the policy of the United States— that the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) and the Six Assurances provided by the United States to Taiwan in July 1982 are the foundation for United States-Taiwan relations; that nothing in the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) constrains deepening, to the extent possible, the extensive, close, and friendly relations of the United States and Taiwan, including defense relations; that the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) shall be implemented and executed in a manner consistent with evolving political, security, and economic dynamics and circumstances; that, as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the United States expects the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means, and that any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means is a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States ; that the increasingly coercive and aggressive behavior of the People’s Republic of China towards Taiwan, including growing military maneuvers targeting Taiwan, is contrary to the expectation of the peaceful resolution of the future of Taiwan; that, as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the United States will support the development of capable, ready, and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, including by— supporting acquisition by Taiwan of defense articles and services through foreign military sales, direct commercial sales, and industrial cooperation, with an emphasis on capabilities that support the asymmetric defense strategy of Taiwan, including antiship, coastal defense, antiarmor, air defense, undersea warfare, advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and resilient command and control capabilities; ensuring timely review of and response to requests of Taiwan for defense articles and services; conducting practical training and military exercises with Taiwan, including, as appropriate, the Rim of the Pacific exercise, combined training at the National Training Center at Fort Erwin, and bilateral naval exercises and training; examining the potential for expanding professional military education and technical training opportunities in the United States for military personnel of Taiwan; pursuing a strategy of military engagement with Taiwan that fully integrates exchanges at the strategic, policy, and functional levels; increasing exchanges between senior defense officials and general officers of the United States and Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Travel Act ( Public Law 115–135 ; 132 Stat. 341), especially for the purpose of enhancing cooperation on defense planning and improving the interoperability of the military forces of the United States and Taiwan; conducting military exchanges with Taiwan specifically focused on improving the reserve force of Taiwan; and expanding cooperation in military medicine and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including through the participation of medical vessels of Taiwan in appropriate exercises with the United States; and that, as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the United States will maintain the capacity to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan , including the capacity of the United States Armed Forces to deny a fait accompli operation by the People’s Republic of China to rapidly seize control of Taiwan.

It is the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Defense should— ensure that policy guidance to the Department of Defense related to United States-Taiwan defense relations is fully consistent with the statement of policy set forth in subsection (a); and issue new policy guidance required to carry out such policy.

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