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Peace cannot be achieved by compromising with authoritarian regimes, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te asserted on April 10, 2026, warning that appeasement would only undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and its democratic way of life. Lai issued these remarks on his Facebook page ahead of a highly controversial meeting later that day in Beijing between Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping.
 
Condemning the Cheng-Xi “United Front” Meeting
 
During the meeting, Cheng echoed the CCP’s political warfare narratives, specifically the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” In the context of Beijing’s expansionist agenda, this phrase refers to the CCP’s goal to turn China into a global superpower by 2049 — the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) — and explicitly connotes the unilateral annexation of Taiwan into the PRC.

In Taipei, senior officials of the Lai administration condemned Cheng for acting as a “united front accomplice” and denounced the political signaling of the visit. They asserted that Cheng’s alignment with Beijing’s narratives ignores Taiwan’s mainstream public opinion and that her proposed “peace framework” is merely a thinly veiled unification blueprint intended to surrender Taiwan’s sovereignty to China.
 
While not mentioning the Cheng-Xi meeting directly, President Lai warned against any policy of capitulation to the PRC. Taiwan “has ideals about peace, but not unrealistic illusions,” Lai stated, adding that history proves that compromising with authoritarian regimes comes at the cost of sovereignty and democracy, failing to yield either freedom or lasting peace.
 
The TRA: A Cornerstone for U.S.-Taiwan Relations
 
Lai also noted that April 10 marked the 47th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). He emphasized that the law, along with the Six Assurances, reflected the shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights and remains a key pillar of Indo-Pacific stability.
 
The TRA explicitly stipulates that any attempt to resolve Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means is a “grave concern” to the United States. The Act commits the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the arms and services necessary for a sufficient self-defense posture and requires the U.S. to maintain the capacity to resist any force or form of coercion against Taiwan. Furthermore, the Act allows the U.S. to pragmatically treat Taiwan as a sovereign State in practice, ensuring that U.S. laws pertaining to foreign states or governments apply equally to Taiwan.
 
Implications for Regional Security
 
47 years after the TRA’s enactment, the U.S. commitment to Taiwan’s security remains a steadfast bipartisan consensus in Washington. Lai concluded by asserting that the international community recognizes that defending Taiwan is synonymous with defending the front line of freedom and democracy.
 
He further warned that the opposition’s continued stalling of critical defense funding only emboldens the CCP aggressor in Beijing and directly jeopardizes Taiwan’s national security.
 
Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan   [2] Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s Official Facebook Page   [3] Taipei Times   [4] H.R.2479, 96th Congress (Taiwan Relations Act)   [5] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) 

U.S. Lawmakers Reaffirm “Peace Through Strength” During Pivotal Taiwan Visits

From April 5 to 11, 2026, a Congressional delegation (CODEL) led by U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (R-IA), chair of the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) National Security Task Force, visited Taiwan. Nunn was joined by Reps. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), and Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) for the week-long mission to bolster bilateral defense ties.
 
In the same week, U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also visited Taiwan from April 7 to 9. Both delegations urged Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan to pass the stalled NT$1.25 trillion (approximately US$40 billion) special defense budget as a critical signal of national resolve and a concrete commitment to “peace through strength.”
 
Why It Matters
 
The primary objective of both delegations was to reaffirm U.S. support for Taiwan’s security and deepen the bilateral security partnership, while specifically urging the Legislative Yuan to pass the stalled special defense budget as a necessary response to the escalating security challenges posed by China.

• Representative Nunn stated that the delegation recognizes that the threats to Taiwan’s security are real, and the RSC truly believes in “peace through strength.” He added that this principle can also extend to the bilateral economic partnership, calling for deeper bilateral trade and investment ties.

• Passing the special defense budget in the legislature is“a signal to China, and to the rest of the world, that Taiwan is serious about peace through strength,” Senator Banks said.

Taiwan’s Special Defense Budget
 
The passage of the proposed NT$1.25 trillion (about US$40 billion) special defense budget is increasingly seen in Washington as a crucial litmus test of Taiwan’s resolve to defend itself.
 
Senator Banks was among the 37 bipartisan U.S. lawmakers who, in February 2026, sent a joint letter to Taiwan’s opposition leaders — who currently hold a collective legislative majority — conveying deep concern about the legislature stalling essential defense spending plans.
 
While the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have continued to block the special defense budget, citing their refusal to sign “blank checks,” their actions have drawn sharp criticism from both the administration and international observers.
 
The entire KMT caucus was notably absent from the cross-party caucus negotiations (黨團協商) on April 9, prompting Defense Minister Wellington Koo to make an emotional plea for national unity and military resilience. Minister Koo emphasized that Taiwan cannot expect international assistance if it fails to demonstrate a commitment to its own defense.
 
Evolving Security Challenges
 
Amid heightened Chinese military pressure — including Beijing’s unusual 40-day “offshore airspace restrictions” over the Yellow and East China Seas running from late March to early May — both U.S. CODELs made it clear that the United States views the passage of Taiwan’s special defense budget as a critical step toward enhancing deterrence and sustaining strong bilateral security cooperation.
 
The delegations emphasized that such a commitment is essential for Taiwan to remain a credible partner in the face of China’s persistent aggression and gray-zone tactics.
 
Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan   [2] Taipei Times   [3] Taiwan’s Presidential Office   [4] Taiwan’s Presidential Office   [5] Liberty Times   [6] Taipei Times

Taiwan’s Freedom of Speech Day Highlights Shared Democratic Values Between Taiwan and the United States

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) joined Taiwanese communities worldwide in commemorating Taiwan’s Freedom of Speech Day on April 7, 2026, and issued a statement honoring the legacy of the late democracy activist Cheng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), also known as “Nylon.” Cheng self-immolated in 1989 to protest the authoritarian Kuomintang (KMT) regime’s attempt to unjustly arrest him on sedition charges.
 
The Pursuit of “100 Percent Freedom of Speech”
 
Cheng was the founder and editor-in-chief of The Freedom Era Weekly, which he launched in 1984 with the explicit mission of “fighting for 100 percent freedom of speech.” Through the publication, Cheng advocated for Taiwan independence, democratic reform, freedom of expression, and the inalienable right of the Taiwanese people to self-determination.
 
After publishing Dr. Hsu Shih-kai’s (許世楷) “Draft Constitution of the Taiwan Republic” in 1988, Cheng was charged with sedition. Refusing to submit to the unjust arrest, he resisted authorities during a 71-day standoff before self-immolating on April 7, 1989. His sacrifice has since become a powerful symbol of Taiwan’s pursuit of independence, liberty, democracy, and human rights.
 
FAPA’s Evolving Advocacy and Mission
 
Taiwan’s annual commemoration of Freedom of Speech Day underscores the foundational democratic values shared by both Taiwan and the United States: freedom of speech and expression. Just as the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects free speech as a fundamental right, Taiwan’s Freedom of Speech Day serves as a poignant reminder that this liberty must be continually defended.
 
In its statement, FAPA highlighted its longstanding role in supporting Taiwan’s democratization. FAPA National President Dr. Su-Mei Kao (林素梅) noted that Taiwan’s democratic transition was shaped by decades of arduous struggle and advocacy both within Taiwan and across the globe.
 
She emphasized that FAPA, founded by Taiwanese American activists in 1982, worked closely in its early years with a bipartisan coalition of leaders in the U.S. Congress, including Senators Claiborne Pell (D-RI) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), as well as Representatives Stephen Solarz (D-NY) and Jim Leach (R-IA), to advance democracy and human rights in Taiwan.
 
Defending Taiwan’s Hard-Earned Democracy
 
Dr. Kao emphasized that the freedom and democracy enjoyed by the Taiwanese people today were hard-won through the courage, determination, and sacrifices of countless activists like Cheng Nan-jung. Warning that Taiwan faces escalating aggression and threats from China, she asserted that “democracy and independence are not destinations, but continuous commitments that must be actively protected,” reaffirming FAPA’s mission to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and consolidate its independent statehood on the international stage.
 
Sources:
[1] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)   [2] Nylon Cheng Liberty Foundation ‧ Memorial Museum   [3] Nylon Cheng Liberty Foundation ‧ Memorial Museum

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Four critical Taiwan-related bills were recently introduced or advanced in the U.S. Congress: the Blue Skies for Taiwan Act and the First Island Chain Deterrence Act were both introduced in the Senate on March 26, 2026; the Chip Security Act was unanimously advanced by the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) also on March 26; and the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resilience Initiative Act was introduced in the House on April 2.
 
Why They Matter

• Blue Skies for Taiwan Act (S.4259): Introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and John Curtis (R-UT), this bill promotes the development of secure, resilient unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The bipartisan effort will identify strategic roadblocks and expand opportunities for the U.S. and Taiwan to create PRC-independent drone systems and components to bolster both Taiwan’s defense and U.S. national security.

• First Island Chain Deterrence Act (S.4223): Sponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), this legislation tackles the critical backlog in U.S. arms deliveries to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. It directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder the “strong denial defense” strategy outlined in the 2026 National Defense Strategy, ensuring that Taiwan and other regional partners receive purchased weapons without further delay.

• Chip Security Act (H.R.3447): Introduced by Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) in May 2025 and advanced by HFAC in late March 2026, this act aims to prevent the illicit diversion of advanced AI chips to foreign adversaries, specifically the PRC. The bill requires advanced chip manufacturers to adopt technical security safeguards, including location-verification mechanisms, to prevent smuggling to unauthorized end users. This act ensures U.S. and allied innovations do not power the Chinese military’s AI-driven capabilities.

• Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resilience Initiative Act (H.R.8177): Introduced by Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dave Min (D-CA), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ), this act addresses the PRC’s “gray zone” sabotage of Taiwan’s undersea cables. It mandates real-time monitoring systems, establishes a Cross-Strait Contingency Planning Group, and authorizes targeted sanctions against those complicit in sabotaging critical undersea systems affecting Taiwan and U.S. allies.

Implications

Collectively, these legislative measures bolster U.S.-Taiwan defense integration by institutionalizing cooperation on PRC-independent drone production, accelerating arms deliveries to First Island Chain partners, tightening safeguards against the diversion of advanced AI chips to the PRC, and hardening the protection of Taiwan’s critical undersea infrastructure.

These bills underscore the growing bipartisan focus on Taiwan’s pivotal role in regional security. They enhance Taiwan’s capacity to operate seamlessly alongside U.S. and allied defense systems, thereby strengthening credible and robust regional deterrence against PRC aggression.

Sources:
[1] S.4259 (Blue Skies for Taiwan Act)   [2] Office of Sen. Jeff Merkley   [3] S.4223 (First Island Chain Deterrence Act)   [4] Office of Sen. Michael Bennet   [5] H.R.3447 (Chip Security Act)   [6] Office of Rep. Bill Huizenga   [7] House Select Committee on the CCP   [8] H.R.8177 (Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resilience Initiative Act)   [9] Office of Rep. Mike Lawler

U.S. Congressional Delegation to Taiwan Urges Passage of US$40 Billion Special Defense Budget

On March 30, 2026, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Curtis (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) arrived in Taiwan to reaffirm ironclad Congressional support for the U.S.-Taiwan security and defense partnership. The bipartisan senators met with President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, and other senior Taiwanese officials.
 
The Congressional Delegation (CODEL) reaffirmed the U.S. Congress’s commitment to support Taiwan and strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense. Members of the delegation publicly backed President Lai’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (approximately US$40 billion) special defense budget, urging the Legislative Yuan to pass the measure without delay to address critical gaps in defense capabilities.
 
The delegation also emphasized Taiwan’s pivotal role in global prosperity and high-tech supply chain. Senator Curtis, who co-led the delegation, warned that “an attempted attack on Taiwan could trigger a $10 trillion global economic shock, immediately contracting the U.S. GDP by roughly 10 percent.”
 
Why It Matters
 
With President Trump’s reported upcoming visit to China scheduled for May 2026, this recent CODEL signals to the world that supporting Taiwan remains a central, bipartisan priority of U.S. foreign policy. “I don’t think that there’s ambiguity at all from the United States in terms of support of Taiwan,” Senator Tillis underscored. This signaling is critical as Washington continues to monitor Taiwan’s operational readiness and the domestic political consensus required to sustain long-term defense investments.
 
Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) Director John Dotson assesses that President Lai’s supplementary special defense budget addresses long-standing concerns regarding Taiwan’s “asymmetric” deterrence. The proposal raises Taiwan’s defense spending up to around 3.3 percent of its GDP for 2026 and focuses heavily on purchasing advanced U.S. arms, such as M142 HIMARS and ALTIUS unmanned aerial systems. It also includes several categories that point to closer U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation and expanded joint development.
 
Implications
 
The recent CODEL underscores Congress’s commitment to a “peace through strength” strategy, which emphasizes that the U.S. and Taiwan must work together to deter Chinese aggression.
 
Taiwan, for its part, has been actively working with the U.S. to evolve beyond its traditional role as a mere purchaser and transition into a strategic co-developer and co-producer of its own advanced defensive weapons. This includes the recent successful undersea trial for its first indigenous submarine and the expansion of a “non-red” democratic supply chain for uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
 
Sources:
[1] Senate Foreign Relations Committee   [2] Taiwan’s Presidential Office   [3] Office of Sen. John Curtis   [4] Texas Public Radio   [5] Global Taiwan Institute (GTI)   [6] Reuters   [7] US-Taiwan Business Council

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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)

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At a March 17, 2026, hearing titled “Reforming America’s Defense Sales,” senior officials reaffirmed that Taiwan remains a priority for Harpoon missile deliveries and that the Six Assurances remain unchanged.

• Questioned by Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) about concerns that Saudi Arabia had moved ahead of Taiwan in Harpoon missile deliveries, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Director Michael F. Miller testified that the 2023 guidance prioritizing Taiwan above all requirements remains in effect and that Taiwan would take precedence in the provision of Harpoons.

• Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) raised a question about the Six Assurances, referencing President Donald Trump’s recent vague comments about having discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping. State Department official Stanley L. Brown testified that he was unaware of any policy change to the Six Assurances and reaffirmed the continued U.S. commitment to provide Taiwan with the defense articles and services necessary for its self-defense.

The Six Assurances of 1982 include pledges that the U.S. will not set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan, nor will it engage in prior consultations with Beijing on such sales.

Why It Matters

Amid concerns that conflict in the Middle East could strain U.S. defense production and deliveries, these officials’ statements on prioritizing Taiwan signal that supporting Taiwan’s self-defense and deterring Chinese aggression remain central to U.S. strategy.

Anti-ship Harpoon systems are critical components of Taiwan’s asymmetric defense strategy. Defense expert Sung Yu-ning (宋玉寧) highlighted their advanced resistance to electronic countermeasures and refined targeting capabilities, enabling them to strike maritime targets effectively even in rough sea conditions.

Congressional Action

Bipartisan lawmakers continue to advance legislation to expedite U.S. arms sales and reinforce U.S. commitments to Taiwan.

The PORCUPINE Act (S.1744 & H.R.7146) seeks to streamline arms sales by designating Taiwan as a “NATO-Plus” partner — effectively placing it on par with Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The Senate passed its version unanimously in December 2025.

The Six Assurances to Taiwan Act (S.3208 & H.R.3452) aims to codify the Six Assurances into law and would require Congressional review of any actions that would contradict the assurances, including any executive attempt to pause or terminate arms sales to Taiwan or to negotiate with Beijing regarding such sales. The House version was incorporated into the State Department Reauthorization package advanced by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in September 2025.

Current Development

On March 13, 2026, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan authorized the Cabinet to sign Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) for four key U.S.-approved weapons systems  — the M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Javelin anti-armor missiles, TOW 2B missiles, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) — that were set to expire in March. These procurements are intended to be funded through a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (about US$40 billion) special defense budget that remains blocked in the legislature by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

Sources:
[1] House Foreign Affairs Committee   [2] Focus Taiwan   [3] Rep. Ami Bera’s Official X Account   [4] Congressional Research Service   [5] Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Taiwan (INDSR)   [6] S.1744 & H.R.7146 (The PORCUPINE Act)   [7] S.3208 & H.R.3452 (Six Assurances to Taiwan Act)   [8] Focus Taiwan   [9] Global Taiwan Institute (GTI)

2026 ODNI Annual Threat Assessment: U.S. Intervention Raises the Risk of Failure for a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

On March 18, 2026, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released its 2026 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Produced annually for Congress by the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) since 2006, the ATA identifies the United States’ top national security threats and helps inform Washington’s policy priorities. This year’s report provides a broad overview, covering threats ranging from global competition in artificial intelligence to the critical risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait.

The 2026 ATA highlighted that China will likely continue seeking to set the “conditions for eventual unification with Taiwan” through gray-zone tactics and the rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). While the report assesses that Chinese leaders do not currently have a fixed timeline for a 2027 invasion of Taiwan, it warns that China continues to regard “unification with Taiwan” as necessary to achieving its 2049 goal of “national rejuvenation” and still retains the option of using force.

Why It Matters

This year’s ATA assesses that a Taiwan Strait crisis would disrupt U.S. access to critical trade and semiconductor supply chains essential to the global economy. The report underscores that even without direct U.S. involvement, a conflict would impose unprecedented economic costs on the U.S., China, and the global economy.

Most importantly, Beijing’s calculus in considering a military invasion of Taiwan includes the likelihood of U.S. intervention. Chinese officials recognize that an amphibious invasion of Taiwan would be extremely challenging and carry a high risk of failure, especially in the event of U.S. intervention.

Furthermore, the report notes that China’s regional positioning is being complicated by Japan’s shifting posture, with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi recently characterizing a potential Taiwan crisis as a “survival threatening situation” for Japan.

Congressional Attention

Both the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) held open hearings on the ATA on March 18 and 19, respectively.

While the Middle East conflicts drew substantial attention during both hearings, in her opening statements at SSCI and HPSCI, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard highlighted China’s ongoing military buildup and coercive pressure towards Taiwan. Gabbard warned that China’s current push to “rapidly modernize its military forces across all domains” is intended to deter U.S. and allied forces and achieve its stated objective of developing the ability to seize Taiwan by force if necessary.

Implications

The 2026 ATA suggests that potential U.S. intervention significantly complicates Beijing’s calculus, while also underscoring that even non-intervention would not insulate the United States from severe economic and strategic consequences. Together, these findings reinforce the importance of maintaining credible U.S. deterrence, strategic clarity, and sustained efforts to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense and broader supply-chain resilience. 

Sources:
[1] Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)   [2] U.S. Intelligence Community   [3] Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI)   [4] House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI)   [5] ODNI (DNI Gabbard’s Opening Statement at SSCI)   [6] ODNI (DNI Gabbard’s Opening Statement at HPSCI)

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On March 12, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) relaunched a nationwide campaign urging Congress to swiftly pass the bipartisan and bicameral “Taiwan Representative Office Act” (S.974 & H.R.3180). The legislation calls for renaming Taiwan’s de facto embassy from the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office” (TECRO) to the “Taiwan Representative Office” (TRO). FAPA has advocated for this name rectification for over two decades, leveraging grassroots advocacy to garner broad bipartisan Congressional support.

Why It Matters

The name “TECRO” misrepresents the nature of the office and understates the depth of the U.S. –Taiwan relationship. “TECRO” wrongfully implies that Taiwan’s de facto embassy only represents the city of “Taipei,” as opposed to the whole of “Taiwan” and the Taiwanese people. It also incorrectly suggests that the U.S. and Taiwan only cooperate on economic and cultural matters, even though their partnership encompasses critical security, technology, public health, and democratic interests.

“TECRO” is also inconsistent with longstanding U.S. policy and practice, which consistently refers to Taiwan simply as “Taiwan,” as reflected in the Taiwan Relations Act (1979), the Taiwan Travel Act (2018), and the name of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

Two Decades of Advocacy and Legislative Efforts

FAPA has worked closely with Congressional offices through evolving strategies over time to secure bicameral, bipartisan support for renaming TECRO to TRO:

• 2002–2004: Under FAPA’s initiative, Members of Congress — including Reps. David Wu (D-OR), Dennis Moore (D-KS), and Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chairs Steve Chabot (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Robert Wexler (D-FL), as well as Nita Lowey (D-NY) — sent letters to Taiwan’s then-President Chen Shui-bian, advocating for the name rectification of TECRO to more accurately reflect its fundamental role in representing “Taiwan” and its people.

• 2011–2014: FAPA worked with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) to introduce and promote the comprehensive Taiwan Policy Act, which supported renaming TECRO to TRO, reaffirming the Six Assurances, and expanding high-level U.S.–Taiwan exchanges.

• 2015–2018: FAPA worked closely with then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Steve Chabot to advance key pro-Taiwan legislation. These efforts contributed to the 2016 passage of a concurrent resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as the “cornerstones” of U.S.–Taiwan relations, as well as the enactment of the landmark Taiwan Travel Act in 2018.

• 2020: Under FAPA’s initiative, 78 House Members led by Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chairs Steve Chabot and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) sent a bipartisan letter urging then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to rename TECRO to TRO.

• 2021–2024: FAPA’s renaming initiative was incorporated into the Taiwan Diplomatic Review Act (2021), introduced by Reps. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Steve Chabot; followed by the Taiwan Policy Act (2022), introduced by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX); and the Taiwan Representative Office Act (2022 & 2023), introduced by then-Sen. Marco Rubio and then-Rep. John Curtis (R-UT).

• 2025–present: The bipartisan Taiwan Representative Office Act was reintroduced in the 119th Congress by Sens. John Curtis (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Chris Pappas (D-NH).

Implications

With former Sen. Marco Rubio — a longtime supporter of FAPA’s “TRO” name rectification — now serving as the U.S. Secretary of State, the opportunity for this name change is unprecedented.

“Renaming Taiwan’s representative office is not merely symbolic,” FAPA’s National President Dr. Su-Mei Kao emphasized. “At a time when Beijing is escalating its diplomatic pressure and military coercion against Taiwan, clarity in U.S. policy matters.” The current Congress should “pass the TRO Act this year to reinforce a consistent, credible U.S. policy that bolsters stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific,” Dr. Kao concluded.

Sources:
[1] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)   [2] S.974 & H.R.3180 (Taiwan Representative Office Act)   [3] FAPA   [4] H.R.2479, 96th Congress (Taiwan Relations Act)   [5] H.R.535, 115th Congress (Taiwan Travel Act)   [6] American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)   [7] S.Con.Res.38 & H.Con.Res.88, 114th Congress (A concurrent resolution reaffirming the TRA and the Six Assurances)   [8] FAPA

U.S. House Bill Introduced to Bolster Taiwan’s Energy Security and Resilience

On March 9, Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) introduced the Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act (H.R.7873) in the U.S. House of Representatives, aiming to bolster Taiwan’s energy resilience amid escalating gray-zone coercion from China and heightened geopolitical instability.

The legislation seeks to strengthen U.S.–Taiwan energy cooperation by:

• Prioritizing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Taiwan and incentivizing projects aimed at diversifying and securing supply sources.

• Encouraging bilateral collaboration on advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs).

• Enhancing joint efforts to protect Taiwan’s critical energy grids and storage systems from cyber, physical, and asymmetric threats.

• Expanding the authority of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to provide maritime war-risk insurance for vessels transporting critical energy and vital goods to Taiwan when commercial insurance options withdraw due to military threats.

Why It Matters
 
Taiwan’s energy security is a paramount strategic concern as global instability threatens key shipping routes. In introducing the bill, Rep. Harrigan emphasized that recent strikes in the Middle East and threats to critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz underscore that energy vulnerability is inherently a national security vulnerability.

Taiwan is heavily reliant on seaborne energy imports. LNG accounts for 47.8% of electricity generation, followed by coal at 35.4%, yet Taiwan maintains only approximately 11 days of LNG reserves. Major LNG suppliers include Qatar (33.7%), Australia (33.5%), and the U.S. (9.9%). Much of this supply transits sensitive waterways like the Strait of Hormuz and the South China Sea, raising concerns that conflict, blockades, or coercive pressure on suppliers could disrupt Taiwan’s energy lifeline.

Congressional Momentum

The Senate version of the Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act (S.2722) was introduced by Sens. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Chris Coons (D-DE) in September 2025 following a tabletop exercise that examined a hypothetical Chinese energy quarantine against Taiwan. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2026 and is currently awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.

Current Developments

Taiwan has also taken proactive steps to mitigate potential energy disruptions linked to instability in the Middle East and strengthen its energy security. While the Taiwanese government stated that current LNG reserves remain sufficient for the immediate term and that contingency plans to increase coal-fired power generation are unlikely to be implemented in the next month, it appears that strategic shifts are underway.

Despite domestic political controversy, officials confirmed on March 11 that the state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) will soon submit a plan this month to restart the decommissioned No. 3 (Maanshan) Nuclear Power Plant, with a goal of resuming operations as early as 2028.

Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan   [2] H.R.7873 & S.2722 (Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act)   [3] Taipei Times   [4] Office of Rep. Pat Harrigan   [5] Nikkei Asia   [6] Thomson Chau’s Official X Account   [7] U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)   [8] Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)   [9] Office of Sen. Pete Ricketts   [10] Taipei Times   [11] Focus Taiwan

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