2025-1010: Bill Introduced to Deter PRC Aggression; China’s “ICAD” Gray-Zone Tactics

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Introduces Bill to Deter PRC Aggression

On October 6, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced the Deter PRC Aggression Against Taiwan Act, which aims to strengthen the United States’ ability to respond swiftly should the People’s Republic of China (PRC) take any military or political action against Taiwan.

Why It Matters

The bill reflects growing bipartisan momentum in Congress to bolster U.S. deterrence against China, support Taiwan’s democracy, and uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. By establishing an interagency task force and pre-planning sanctions and export controls, it would enable swift U.S. and allied responses to Chinese aggression.

Sen. Risch’s initiative underscores Congress’s firm stance on Taiwan and lays the groundwork for closer coordination with allies to counter Chinese coercion — calling for immediate action against any attempt by Beijing to overthrow Taiwan’s government, seize its territory, impose a blockade, or launch major cyberattacks.

About the Bill

The legislation would establish an interagency “China Sanctions Task Force,” or “Tiger Team,” led by the Departments of State and Treasury. This group would develop sanctions, export controls, and other economic measures targeting Chinese military entities and non-military affiliates in the event of an escalation against Taiwan. It would also identify resource gaps, propose new authorities to strengthen U.S. sanctions capabilities, and coordinate responses with allies and partners. Sen. Risch emphasized that the bill draws lessons from allied sanctions on Russia, stressing that Washington must be ready to “hit China where it hurts” to strengthen deterrence.

Background

China continues to assert that the Taiwan issue is an “internal affair” and demands that the United States adhere to Beijing’s position. In response, U.S. officials have repeatedly reaffirmed that Washington’s commitment to Taiwan remains unchanged. Beijing’s escalating gray-zone tactics have further solidified the bipartisan consensus in Congress that the United States must act decisively to deter China’s future aggression.

Related Policy Initiative

In September 2024, Sen. Risch introduced the STRATEGIC Act, a broader legislative package aimed at advancing a comprehensive competitive strategy against China. That bill likewise proposed the creation of a “Tiger Team,” and included provisions to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), launch a strategic infrastructure initiative, curb China’s predatory economic practices, and strengthen U.S. support for Taiwan and partner countries.

Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan
[2] Senate Foreign Relations Committee
[3] Senate Foreign Relations Committee
[4] Focus Taiwan

Senate Hearing Urges Stronger U.S. Deterrence Against PRC’s Gray-Zone Tactics

On October 7, the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy — chaired by Chairman Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and co-led by Ranking Member Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) — held a hearing to examine how Beijing employs “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive” (ICAD) gray-zone tactics to expand its influence across the Indo-Pacific.

Expert witnesses Craig Singleton (Foundation for Defense of Democracies), Ray Powell (Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Founder of SeaLight Foundation), and Dr. Ely Ratner (Principal at The Marathon Initiative, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs) testified that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) employs ICAD tactics to advance its strategic goals below the threshold of armed conflict.

PRC’s ICAD Tactics

The PRC employs a wide range of gray-zone tactics to expand its control in the Pacific, seeking to “win without fighting” through incremental intimidation, disinformation, and legal manipulation, or “lawfare.” It has simulated joint air and sea blockades around Taiwan, with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) coordinating operations.

Beyond the Taiwan Strait, a large Chinese naval task group circumnavigated Australia and held unannounced live-fire drills. In the South China Sea, Beijing’s designation of a “National Nature Preserve” at Scarborough Shoal expanded its territorial claims, prompting strong protests from the Philippines and heightening coercive encounters.

Why It Matters

The testimonies establish that the PRC’s primary strategy against Taiwan is a long-term coercive campaign designed for “subjugation” without outright invasion. By utilizing ICAD tactics, the PRC seeks to blur boundaries and normalize military pressure in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Taiwan’s energy dependence was highlighted as a critical vulnerability: roughly 98 percent of its energy is imported, and Taiwan maintains only about 10 days of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage. The PRC could limit Taiwan’s energy supplies through “administrative” measures such as maritime safety inspections or by pressuring private insurers and shippers to make commercial voyages uneconomical.

Implications

To close this “deterrence gap,” witnesses urged a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, calling on the United States to adopt a more proactive posture in the region. They warned that current U.S. policy remains too risk-averse, reactive, and inconsistent, enabling Beijing to exploit these gaps through persistent gray-zone coercion.

Recommendations Highlights

Ratner: Update U.S. position of not taking a position on contested sovereignty claims over the South China Sea, as that stance has become untenable amid Beijing’s defiance of international law and pursuit of expansionist and illegal claims.

Singleton: Diversify Taiwan’s energy supply and leverage U.S. LNG.

Powell: Mandate a national counter-ICAD strategy that integrates assertive transparency, revamped information operations, purpose-built development assistance, and rapid innovation to match China’s whole-of-society ICAD tactics.

Sources:
[1] Senate Foreign Relations Committee
[2] Testimony by Mr. Craig Singleton
[3] Testimony by Mr. Raymond Powell
[4] Testimony by Dr. Ely Ratner