United States Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), has introduced a bill to Congress to fast-track the sale of military equipment to and increase joint military training with Taiwan, the senator's office announced last week.
The Taiwan Peace Through Strength Act of 2022, introduced May 3 by Rubio the announcement reports, promotes improving Taiwan's defense capabilities against China. Concerns that China might try to take over the island nation have increased since Russia invaded Ukraine, the statement reports, with some observers predict could be imminent.
“Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is not the first time an authoritarian regime invaded its neighbor and, unfortunately, it won’t be the last,” Rubio said in the statement. “An invasion of Taiwan could happen within this decade."
The TPSA requires the Department of Defense to conduct annual assessments of the U.S.'s plans and ability to defend Taiwan then use that assessment to make a list of capabilities Taiwan is approved to acquire; require the U.S. State Department (DOS) to pre-approve any capabilities in the assessment list; fast-track any Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Taiwan and expedite their delivery; and make defense contractors to automatically move Taiwan's orders to the front of the line.
"We must do all we can to deter an attack on Taiwan," Rubio said in his announcement, "or we risk losing the Indo-Pacific region to the Chinese Communist Party.”
The bill also requires updating references to "arms of a defensive character" in the Taiwan Relations Act to reference to arms sales to deter conflict; ban U.S. defense contractors from doing business in China; create and implement comprehensive, upper-level military training and planning programs; and authorize $2 billion annually to Taiwan in Foreign Military Spending.
Taiwan needs our support," Rubio said in his statement on the bill, "and my bill will make Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party think twice before launching a foolish invasion."
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