A helicopter carrying Taiwan’s flag flies past Taipei during National Day celebrations outside the presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan, October 10, 2022. REUTERS/Ann Wang
WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) – The United States may soon offer billions of dollars in military funding to Taiwan, speed up arms sales and increase military coordination as China puts pressure on the democratically-ruled island.
The Senate included much of the expansive “Taiwan Policy Act of 2022” in the $817 billion National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which began debate on Tuesday. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Taiwan bill in September, angering Beijing.
China considers Taiwan its territory and never has
TAIWAN MILITARY FUNDING
The Taiwan law includes $6. To see also : Rethinking How the United States Trains Foreign Soldiers.5 billion in grants over five years to strengthen Taiwan’s military capabilities and authorizes loans of up to $2 billion.
The grants would be contingent on Taiwan increasing its own defense spending, and could give Washington additional leverage over Taiwan’s defense procurement given US military planners’ desire to see the island prioritize mobile equipment that could better survive a Chinese attack than large scale systems.
The bill also takes steps to track and expedite the delivery of military equipment to Taiwan.
TRAINING AND STOCKPILES
That requires the State Department and the Pentagon to expand joint military training to improve the island’s defenses and increase interoperability with U. To see also : Explaining the problems between the US, China and Taiwan | Stanford News.S. forces.
Defense analysts say increasing the ability of the two militaries to operate together would be critical in responding to any Chinese attack if the United States chooses to do so, as President Joe Biden recently proposed.
POSSIBLE SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA
The bill calls for specific sanctions to be imposed by the president in the event of a “significant escalation of aggression” against Taiwan by China, language intended to increase US deterrence. Read also : Review of ‘The Terminal List’: Chris Pratt, Amazon Prime Video.
This would include sanctions against high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party, government officials and agencies, as well as state-owned and controlled banks.
Other sanctions would block and prohibit property relations
transactions in the United States and prohibit targeted
obtaining a visa to enter the country.
CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSALS
Some elements of Taiwan’s measure have raised concerns about heightened tensions with China at the State Department and the White House. Congressional aides said they were unlikely to sign on to the NDAA.
For example, the bill calls for Taiwan to be treated as a “major non-NATO ally” to facilitate the transfer of defense materials and services.
And that would require Washington to consider renaming its de facto US embassy from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office to the Taiwan Representative Office. Critics say the change would be largely cosmetic and would certainly antagonize Beijing without materially helping Taiwan.
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Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing: Patricia Zengerle, Michael Martina and Josie Kao
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
