U.S. House passes bill with provisions bolstering Taiwan's defense

Washington, Dec. 14 (CNA) The United States House of Representatives has passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes provisions for setting up "a comprehensive training, advising, and institutional capacity building program" for Taiwan's military.

The act authorizing US$886.3 billion for the U.S. defense budget was passed by the House 310-118 on Thursday and now awaits the signature of President Joe Biden to become law.

The passage of the act came hours after the Senate passed the compromise bill, which was the product of weeks of negotiations between leaders of the House and the Senate.

Included in the bill covering thousands of pages were several provisions related to Taiwan, including measures to help strengthen its defense capabilities, counter Chinese influence campaigns, and support Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

Among the provisions is one that requires the U.S. secretary of defense, in consultation with "appropriate officials in Taiwan," to establish a comprehensive training, advising, and institutional capacity-building program for the military forces of Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act.

It also directs the secretary of defense and secretary of state to describe in their annual report to Congress actions taken to carry out the program.

Other sections require keeping close tabs on deliveries of defense articles to U.S. allies, including Taiwan, and preventing delays.

The bill proscribes committing more than 85 percent of the funds available to the assistant secretary of the navy for research, development, and acquisition until a plan is submitted to provide Harpoon missiles to security partners.

It also requires a briefing on the status of U.S.-provided security assistance to Taiwan before the remaining funds can be released.

Taiwan has committed to purchasing 400 land-based Harpoon missiles from the U.S. and hopes to start taking delivery of the missiles in 2026 and receive all 400 missiles by the end of 2028.

The NDAA requires that the secretary of defense and secretary of state brief congressional committees on the status of U.S.-provided security assistance to Taiwan no later than 180 days after the date of the law's enactment.

Those reports shall include a list of defense articles and services either committed to or planned to be provided to Taiwan, and the estimated delivery schedule for each of these cases.

Crucially, the act stipulates that the briefing shall also identify any defense article or service whose delivery has been delayed by more than three months and actions taken to prevent delays or accelerate the delivery of any of those items.

The authorization act also directs the U.S. secretary of defense to work with Taiwanese officials on defensive military cybersecurity activities aimed at defending military networks, infrastructure, and systems to counter "malicious cyber activity" aimed at military installations.

It also calls for officials to provide an assessment of the economic impact globally, in the U.S., and in China of various potential invasion and response scenarios along with viable economic policy options against China to "cause escalating impacts" on China's economy "during the pre-conflict phase."

Officials are also required to provide regular assessments of Chinese efforts to coerce Pacific island countries that diplomatically recognize Taiwan into changing their allegiance to China.

"The legislation continues robust funding of Israel's defense and enhances U.S. military readiness in the face of increasing Chinese aggression," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said in a statement released after the bill's passage.

In a statement, Taiwan's Defense Ministry thanked the Congress for taking concrete action to shore up Taiwan's defense capabilities, pointing to provisions in the 2024 NDAA that authorize the establishment of military training programs for Taiwan's armed forces and seek to enhance the security of military networks.