Rep. French Hill’s Office and FAPA Co-Host Dialogue on U.S.–Taiwan Space Partnership
On March 26, 2026, the Formosan Association of Public Affairs (FAPA) co-hosted a roundtable discussion with the Office of Rep. French Hill (R-AR) on U.S.–Taiwan space cooperation, with invited guest Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) Director General Dr. Jong-Shinn Wu (吳宗信). Congressman Hill is the lead sponsor of the Taiwan and American Space Assistance (TASA) Act (H.R.5626).
The roundtable, moderated by FAPA Executive Director Chiao-Yun Hsiao, provided Members of Congress and their staff with a direct opportunity to engage with TASA leadership to discuss bilateral strategic interests.
U.S.–Taiwan Space Cooperation
Rep. Hill and TASA Director General Dr. Wu discussed key areas of U.S.–Taiwan space cooperation, including scientific research, space supply chain resilience, and the broader economic and geopolitical implications of this collaboration.
As Taiwan accelerates its space program — expanding domestic low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite capabilities and advancing next-generation network development — the TASA Act serves as a critical vehicle for strengthening the bilateral partnership and reinforcing the U.S. commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
TASA Act Advances in Both House and Senate
Led by Reps. French Hill and Gabe Amo (D-RI), the TASA Act successfully passed the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in early February as an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R.7273).
The Senate version of the TASA Act (S.3979), introduced by Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Michael Bennet (D-CO), advanced through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in early March, sending the measure to the Senate floor.
The legislation seeks to expand cooperation between TASA, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), bolstering U.S.–Taiwan collaboration in satellite development, space exploration, and atmospheric and weather research. Notably, the bill authorizes the voluntary exchange of personnel between the respective agencies, establishing a formal talent pipeline. The TASA Act continues to receive strong bipartisan support in both chambers.
Sources:
[1] Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) [2] H.R.5626 (TASA Act) [3] Office of Rep. French Hill [4] H.R.7273 (NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026) [5] S.3979 (TASA Act) [6] Taipei Times [7] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
Democracy is Not a Provocation: Taiwan Marks 30 Years Since Its First Direct Presidential Election
March 23, 2026, marked the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election in 1996, a milestone that President Lai Ching-te described in a social media post as the moment the people of Taiwan bravely cast their votes and became “the true masters” of their country.
Why It Matters
Recalling China’s missile tests in the run-up to the 1996 election, known as the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, President Lai stated that despite Beijing’s military intimidation and the warnings that the election could provoke a war, the Taiwanese people nevertheless exercised their democratic right, thereby “opening the door to freedom and democracy for the next generation.”
Lai also linked that democratic milestone to his administration’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (about US$40 billion) special defense budget, contending that “only determination, perseverance and strength can safeguard” Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.
Bipartisan Senate Resolution
U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) — all members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) — led a bipartisan group of senators in introducing a Senate resolution (S.Res.657), commemorating the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first presidential election while reaffirming support for U.S. policy toward Taiwan as established by the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.
In a joint statement, Sen. Duckworth emphasized that the U.S. “will continue to support Taiwan’s prosperity” and “oppose any kind of unilateral aggression” from China. Similarly, Sen. Kaine stressed the U.S. commitment to “protecting Taiwan’s democratic institutions” amid Beijing’s escalating coercion. Sen. Curtis also praised Taiwan’s transformation from the era of martial law into a vibrant democracy, calling it “a powerful testament to the strength of liberty, the rule of law, and the enduring promise of self-government.”
Additionally, SFRC Chairman Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) congratulated Taiwan on 30 years of direct presidential elections and reaffirmed that “the U.S. has and will continue to support strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.”
FAPA’s Advocacy and Taiwan’s Democracy
Taiwan’s democratic transition was facilitated by decades of advocacy by Taiwanese activists at home and abroad, many of whom were “blacklisted” by the authoritarian Kuomintang (KMT) regime and barred from returning to their homeland.
In the United States, Taiwanese American activists founded the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) in 1982, collaborating with bipartisan members of Congress — such as Senators Claiborne Pell (D-RI) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Representatives Stephen Solarz (D-NY) and Jim Leach (R-IA) — to advocate for Taiwan’s democracy and human rights, and the abolition of the political “blacklist.”
Many of these blacklisted activists later returned to Taiwan and played direct roles in its democratization. Among them, Professor Peng Ming-min — who was a key leader in the founding of FAPA and later served as FAPA President from 1986 to early 1989 — went on to become the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate in Taiwan’s first direct presidential election in 1996.
Implications
Taiwan’s democratic triumph serves as both a hard-won achievement and an enduring mandate; as China’s escalating aggression underscores, democracy, once secured, is not a destination but a perpetual commitment that must be vigorously defended against ever-evolving security threats.
Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan [2] National Interest [3] Taipei Times [4] S.Res.657 (Resolution commending the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election) [5] Office of Sen. Tammy Duckworth [6] SFRC Chairman Sen. Jim Risch’s Official X Account [7] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) [8] FAPA
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Backs Taiwan’s International Participation, Rejects China’s Distortion of UNGA Resolution 2758
Supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations remains a “key part” of the mandate of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (UN), U.S. Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz reaffirmed during a House Subcommittee hearing on March 20, 2026.
He also reiterated the U.S. opposition to “China’s intentional misuse and mischaracterization” of UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, stressing that Beijing has deliberately distorted the resolution to falsely claim it settled the legal status of Taiwan’s sovereignty and to unjustly isolate Taiwan from the international community.
Why It Matters
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is leveraging its growing influence within the UN system to advance an authoritarian agenda and isolate Taiwan, undermining the credibility and inclusiveness of global institutions.
Supporting Taiwan’s international participation enables the U.S. to push back against Beijing’s coercion, uphold democratic norms, and defend the rules-based international order from autocratic erosion. Crucially, it counters the PRC’s attempt to “domesticate” the Taiwan issue as a pretext for potential military aggression by clarifying that Taiwan’s status remains an international concern and that the PRC has never exercised jurisdiction over Taiwan.
Related Bill
The bipartisan Taiwan International Solidarity Act (S.2224), reintroduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and John Curtis (R-UT), seeks to strengthen Taiwan’s ability to participate in international organizations. The House version of the bill (H.R.2416) passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in May 2025.
The bill clarifies that UNGA Resolution 2758 “did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people” in the UN system and contains no statement on Taiwan’s sovereignty. The bill further underscores that UNGA Resolution 2758 does not prevent the U.S. from using its vote, voice, and influence to oppose China’s ongoing efforts to exclude Taiwan from the international community.
Implications
The U.S. pushback against the PRC’s distortions of UNGA Resolution 2758 is a strategic necessity to prevent the normalization of autocratic coercion and directly aligns with U.S. national interests and Indo-Pacific security. By dismantling Beijing’s legal distortions, Washington ensures that global norms are not rewritten by revisionist aggressors seeking to alter the regional status quo by force.
Supporting Taiwan’s full membership and participation in international institutions such as the WHO and ICAO is not merely a diplomatic gesture but a functional necessity that reinforces U.S. leadership in multilateral forums.
As the May 2026 World Health Assembly approaches, U.S. advocacy for Taiwan’s inclusion signals its commitment to an international system grounded in the foundational principles of the UN Charter — including universal membership, the right to self-determination, and the sovereign equality of all States. This stance also underscores the continued U.S. opposition to Beijing’s efforts to weaponize international organizations through malicious “lawfare” to marginalize Taiwan and erode the legitimacy of global governance.
Sources:
[1] Taipei Times [2] House Appropriations Committee [3] NYC Today [4] S.2224 & H.R.2416 (Taiwan International Solidarity Act) [5] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
