US commission recommends upgrading arms sales to Taiwan amid tensions with China

On Tuesday, November 19, a US congressional commission recommended a legal change that would allow Taiwan to obtain the same arms sales status as NATO Plus countries.

In its annual report, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) presented two recommendations regarding Taiwan, one of the key proposals being amendments to the Arms Export Control Act, Taiwan News reported.

The 793-page report covers topics including US-China trade relations, security issues, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the section on Taiwan, it proposed amending the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to upgrade Taiwan’s status for military sales, putting it on par with NATO Plus countries such as Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, and New Zealand.

According to the report, if the amendment is approved, US military sales to Taiwan would only require congressional approval for deals worth more than $25 million (NT$893 million), up from the current $14 million limit .

Additionally, the report proposes the creation of a “Taiwan Ally Fund” by the US Congress to support countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. These nations can receive up to 15% of the funds each year, but any country that breaks ties with Taiwan will immediately become ineligible for aid.

The report also highlights that Taiwan remains a “potential center of conflict with China”. The USCC notes that China consistently aims to annex Taiwan through a variety of means, ranging from “information operations to influence Taiwanese public opinion to the use of military force.”

While the administration of President Lai Ching-tey plans to address China’s military threat with asymmetric defense strategies, the report said China’s gray zone military activities near Taiwan have created difficulties.

The report’s authors believe this will force Taiwan to decide between countering these activities or prioritizing defense against potential invasion. The USCC recommends that the United States support Taiwan in countering China’s gray zone military activities and supply the necessary weapons for asymmetric warfare. However, it also said Taiwan faces challenges in rapidly arming itself due to the limitations of the US defense industrial base and long delivery timelines.

As a result, the USCC said Taiwan will remain dependent on US deterrence as the People’s Liberation Army approaches its “2027 and mid-century modernization objectives”. Even if an invasion is successfully stopped, the report warns that China is still working to develop the capability to isolate or blockade Taiwan.