President Lai Welcomes U.S. Lawmakers, Urges Swift Passage of Double Taxation Relief Act
On June 16, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te welcomed a delegation of U.S. lawmakers and called for the swift passage of a bill aimed at eliminating double taxation between Taiwan and the United States, stating it would strengthen bilateral trade and investment. He also expressed hope that Taiwan-U.S. military cooperation will expand to include joint research and development.
Speaking at the Presidential Office, President Lai thanked U.S. Representative Ami Bera (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, for leading the delegation. He noted that Bera had previously visited in January of last year, shortly after Taiwan’s presidential election, to demonstrate support for Taiwan’s democracy.
“This time, as head of the delegation of new members of the House Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee, he [Bera] is continuing to foster U.S. Congressional support for Taiwan,” Lai said.
He also thanked the delegates for their efforts to support Taiwan, strengthen bilateral ties, and remain focused on maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Lai said the Taiwanese government is prioritizing a special budget to increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP this year, reaffirming his administration’s efforts to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
The president also expressed hope that the U.S.-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act would be passed and signed into law later this year, emphasizing the importance of strengthening economic ties with the United States.
The bill, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on January 15, is now under consideration in the Senate.
Taiwan’s government has said that the measure would eliminate tax-related barriers, resolve double taxation issues, and promote greater economic and investment activity between the two sides.
During the meeting, Representative Bera emphasized that it is crucial for democracies to work together to maintain peace in Asia. “When we look at conflict in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, it is important for democracies to hold the peace in Asia. That’s why it was important for us to bring a delegation of members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee,” Bera said.
In addition to Bera, the delegation included U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Sarah McBride (D-DE), and Johnny Olszewski (D-MD) — all visiting Taiwan for the first time.
Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan
[2] Taipei Times
China Escalates “Gray Zone” Tactics in the Taiwan Strait
China has intensified its naval and air operations in the Taiwan Strait and around the First Island Chain, with a sharp rise in “gray zone” tactics aimed at blurring sovereignty boundaries and reshaping the regional security order in East Asia.
Chinese naval vessels were detected operating around Taiwan on 250 occasions in May — the highest monthly count since August 2024 — bringing the year-to-date total to over 1,100 ship sorties, a 20% increase compared to the same period last year.
So far this year, Taiwan has detected 2,200 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft sorties near the country, marking a 35% increase over the same period in 2024.
China has long used military activity to pressure neighboring countries and advance its disputed territorial claims. On May 11, the PLA launched coordinated military maneuvers around Taiwan involving warplanes, anti-submarine aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Similar operations followed on May 16, 18, and 30.
China also demonstrated capabilities essential to a full-scale invasion scenario. On May 20, the PLA conducted an amphibious landing exercise off the coast of Fujian Province. Later in the month, China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, completed another round of sea trials.
Beyond military operations, China expanded its use of gray zone tactics. On May 19, more than 40 unauthorized Chinese fishing vessels entered waters southwest of Penghu County. Meanwhile, Chinese Coast Guard ships continued to intrude into waters surrounding both Taiwan proper and its outlying islands.
These incursions not only threaten Taiwan’s maritime security but also appear to be part of a broader “gray zone” strategy —using civilian fishing vessels to obscure the presence of China Coast Guard ships and justify their law enforcement operations.
Through the combined use of coast guard vessels, illegal fishing boats, and clandestine operations, China appears to be conducting hybrid harassment tactics aimed at reshaping the regional security landscape. These actions also serve to demonstrate its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
The intensifying use of these tactics suggests that China is escalating its efforts to blur international recognition of Taiwan’s sovereign boundaries in favor of its own territorial claims.
It also reflects a broader campaign of “legal warfare” (lawfare) — undermining international norms by normalizing Chinese military and paramilitary operations across East Asia, thereby creating a façade of routine “law enforcement” to erode established rules and alter the regional status quo.
