2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will improve Taiwan’s defense capabilities

On August 1, the U.S. Senate passed its final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year of 2019, which includes several provisions to improve Taiwan's defense capabilities to counter China's increasing military muscle.  The NDAA sailed through the Senate 87-10, a week after the House passed an identical version of the bill on July 26.  On August 13, U.S. President Trump signed the US$716 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year of 2019.  The NDAA, officially now known as the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2019, for ailing Senator John McCain.  The final version of bill contains two sections (Section 1257 and Section 1258) requiring a strengthening of Taiwan’s defense and expanding cooperation between US and Taiwan..

The followings are the full texts of Section 1257 and Section 1258:

SEC. 1257. STRENGTHENING TAIWAN’S FORCE READINESS.

(a) Defense Assessment.—The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with appropriate counterparts of Taiwan, conduct a comprehensive assessment of Taiwan’s military forces, particularly Taiwan’s reserves. The assessment shall provide recommendations to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, readiness, and resilience of Taiwan’s self-defense capability in the following areas:

(1) Personnel management and force development, particularly reserve forces.

(2) Recruitment, training, and military programs.

(3) Command, control, communications and intelligence.

(4) Technology research and development.

(5) Defense article procurement and logistics.

(6) Strategic planning and resource management.

(b) Report Required.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing each of the following:

(A) A summary of the assessment conducted pursuant to subsection (a).

(B) A list of any recommendations resulting from such assessment.

(C) A plan for the United States, including by using appropriate security cooperation authorities, to—

(i) facilitate any relevant recommendations from such list;

(ii) expand senior military-to-military engagement and joint training by the United States Armed Forces with the military of Taiwan; and

(iii) support United States foreign military sales and other equipment transfers to Taiwan, particularly for developing asymmetric warfare capabilities.

(2) APPROPRIATE SECURITY COOPERATION AUTHORITIES.—For purposes of the plan described in paragraph (1)(C), the term “appropriate security cooperation authorities” means—

(A) section 311 of title 10, United States Code (relating to exchange of defense personnel);

(B) section 332 such title (relating to defense institution building); and

(C) other security cooperation authorities under chapter 16 of such title.

(3) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—In this subsection, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—

(A) the congressional defense committees; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives

SEC. 1258. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TAIWAN.

It is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) and the “Six Assurances” are both cornerstones of United States relations with Taiwan;

(2) the United States should strengthen defense and security cooperation with Taiwan to support the development of capable, ready, and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;

(3) the United States should strongly support the acquisition by Taiwan of defensive weapons through foreign military sales, direct commercial sales, and industrial cooperation, with a particular emphasis on asymmetric warfare and undersea warfare capabilities, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act;

(4) the United States should improve the predictability of arms sales to Taiwan by ensuring timely review of and response to requests of Taiwan for defense articles and defense services;

(5) the Secretary of Defense should promote Department of Defense policies concerning exchanges that enhance the security of Taiwan, including—

(A) opportunities for practical training and military exercises with Taiwan; and

(B) exchanges between senior defense officials and general officers of the United States and Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 115–135);

(6) the United States and Taiwan should expand cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and

(7) the Secretary of Defense should consider supporting the visit of a United States hospital ship to Taiwan as part of the annual “Pacific Partnership” mission in order to improve disaster response planning and preparedness as well as to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Taiwan.