U.S. Senate Committee Passes Bill to Review Taiwan Engagement Guidelines
On March 27, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed the bipartisan “Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act” (S.821), which would require the Department of State to review and update its guidelines on U.S. engagement with Taiwan at least every five years.
Introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Coons (D-DE) on March 3, the bill comes against the backdrop of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape and growing concerns over the threat of a Chinese invasion.
In 2023, a bill of the same name passed the U.S. House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. It requires the Secretary of State to conduct periodic reviews of the guidelines governing U.S. exchanges with Taiwan and to submit a report to Congress at least every two years. The bill was reintroduced in the House on February 21, 2025, by Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA).
However, the Senate version, introduced by Cornyn and Coons, includes more specific timelines and requirements. It mandates that the Secretary of State: (1) review the “Guidelines on Relations with Taiwan” and related documents at least once every five years and reissue such guidance to executive branch departments and agencies; and (2) submit a report to both the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs within 90 days of completing each review.
With staunch Taiwan supporter Marco Rubio now serving as Secretary of State, speculation is mounting that the U.S. may lift its self-imposed restrictions on engagement with Taiwan.
“The threat China poses to the stability of the Indo-Pacific, including our friend and ally Taiwan, is ever-evolving, and our diplomatic guidance must be able to keep up,” Sen. Cornyn said in a press release issued on March 3. “This legislation would help reinstate a strong Taiwan strategy at the State Department at a time when we need it most,” he added.
“Our commitment to Taiwan must be backed by an approach that evolves with the changing realities in the Indo-Pacific,” Sen. Coons said. “The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act recognizes the importance of United States-Taiwan relations, supports our shared values, and reinforces stability in this critical region,” he added.
References:
[1] Focus Taiwan
[2] Sen. John Cornyn’s Office
AIT Director Greene: U.S. Stands Firmly with Taiwan
On March 23, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene reaffirmed the United States’ strong support for its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing that cooperation is more critical than ever.
Speaking at a conference in Taipei, Greene stated, “We’re taking decisive actions to counter threats against economic resilience and advanced shared interests.”
He added that our cooperation makes “the U.S., Taiwan, and all of our regional allies safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
Greene also noted that Taiwan has significantly reduced its investments in China over the past decade, redirecting them to like-minded democratic countries.
Addressing security concerns, Greene underscored the threat posed by “a relentlessly aggressive China that is using the full range of military, economic, and diplomatic tools against Taiwan.”
“The challenges Taiwan faces are not only challenges for Taiwan, but for the United States, and the entire world,” he said. “A strong, resilient Taiwan, and a stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific are the foundations of modernization.”
“The United States has a stake in these questions and in Taiwan’s success,” he stressed, adding that the U.S. and Taiwan are leading partners in advanced technology development. He also pointed out that the number of Taiwanese students studying in the U.S. is growing, and that Taiwan is the United States’ seventh-largest trading partner.
“Maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is critical for the United States and the entire world,” Greene emphasized.
Citing remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Greene reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Taiwan, stating, “We are against any forced, compelled, coercive change in the status of Taiwan.”
Reference:
[1] Taipei Times
Schriver Urges Stronger U.S. Training Support for Taiwan Military
On March 26, Randall Schriver, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs during President Donald Trump’s first term, said that the United States should strengthen its training of Taiwan’s armed forces to enhance their combat readiness.
Schriver, now chairman of the board of the U.S. think tank Project 2049 Institute, made the remarks while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was responding to a question from Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) about U.S. efforts to deter conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
Schriver described the U.S. approach as an “evolutionary process,” noting that Washington has become increasingly direct in its language and rhetoric on the Taiwan-related issues.
He said the U.S. has begun moving into areas once considered too sensitive — such as training Taiwan’s military — and emphasized that these efforts should be further expanded.
“We need to strengthen our training of Taiwan military forces,” Schriver said. “That was a taboo for decades, and now we’re getting them to a point where they’re more professional, more proficient, as they’re placing a greater emphasis on training.”
As part of a broader deterrence strategy to prevent war in the Taiwan Strait, Schriver also called on the U.S. to encourage Taiwan to modernize its command and control systems to optimize battlefield decision-making, given the changing nature of warfare.
“They need to look at a lot more unmanned, autonomous, and in every domain, including underwater,” he added.
While the U.S. military has assisted in training Taiwan’s armed forces for decades, such efforts have largely been carried out discreetly due to their sensitive nature.
In March 2024, Taiwan’s then-Minister of National Defense, Chiu Kuo-cheng, confirmed that U.S. military personnel were being rotated into Taiwan to provide training to its armed forces. He noted that Taiwanese soldiers were also receiving training in the United States, though he declined to provide further details for security reasons.
