Sec. 303. Shared planning for the defense of Taiwan
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The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, acting through the American Institute in Taiwan, as appropriate, shall seek to establish a framework with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and other entities, as appropriate, for robust, continuous, shared defense planning and force development that includes regular dialogues at appropriate levels throughout the United States Government. The objectives of the framework described in subsection
(a)shall include— outlining pathways for the advancement of shared priorities to meet current and emerging security challenges; developing common threat perceptions and perceptions surrounding escalation; developing a common understanding of potential conflict scenarios, including their likelihood, predictability, and political import, and a shared conception on the means required to deter such aggression and the risk tolerance for employing such means; delineating further how the United States and Taiwan can collaborate to advance the military capabilities and readiness of Taiwan; ensuring unified planning and role clarity for various contingencies involving the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan; ensuring the Armed Forces of Taiwan have the appropriate systems, munitions, capabilities, and training for maximum deterrent effect within a combined deterrence; ensuring Taiwan’s existing and new systems and capabilities are integrated into a combined deterrence effort for maximum deterrent effect; aligning Taiwan’s defense budgeting priorities with the overall combined deterrence effort; ensuring that systems and capabilities between Taiwan and the United States support complementary missions and achieve interoperability, as appropriate; strengthening cooperation on cybersecurity to deter malicious cyber activities against Taiwan’s security systems and critical infrastructure, to attribute such activities, and to defend against adversaries effectively; strengthening cooperation on information operations to counter People’s Republic of China disinformation campaigns; developing closer partnership of defense intelligence communities in support of military planning and defensive operations; and ensuring appropriate counterintelligence measures for other elements of the framework. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall provide Taiwan with such technical assistance, including with respect to budgeting, as is necessary to ensure productive operation of the framework described in subsection (a). The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall seek to, as appropriate, coordinate with or include additional allies and partners in the framework described in subsection (a). Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the progress in establishing the framework described in subsection (a). The report required by paragraph
(1)shall include the following elements: A description of the structure of the framework. The effectiveness of the framework in establishing a unified defense posture. Obstacles to the creation of the framework, either political or procedural, with respect to the Secretaries counterparts in Taiwan. Progress made in establishing shared defense planning for various Taiwan Strait contingencies. A description and assessment of the effectiveness of counterintelligence measures taken to ensure the needed secrecy for joint planning. The effectiveness of incorporating third parties into the framework. Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State submit the report required by paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an evaluation of the progress and effectiveness of the framework that includes the elements listed in paragraph
(2)and a discussion of the effectiveness of the framework in rationalizing Taiwan’s arms procurement in relation to producing a maximally deterrent posture. The report required by paragraph
(1)and the evaluation required by paragraph
(3)shall be submitted in classified form, with an unclassified summary if appropriate. In this section: The term “appropriate congressional committees” means— the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. The term “combined deterrence effort” means the development and operation of complementary deterrent postures by the United States, Taiwan, and other like-minded countries, as appropriate, to maintain peace and stability in the area of Taiwan.