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Designates Taiwan for five years to receive the same legal treatment as specified U.S. arms-export and defense-related partner countries and states that Taiwan should be treated as a member of an informal “community of states” for purposes of considering Foreign Military Sales. The State Department may renew that treatment in additional five-year increments if it certifies renewal is in the U.S. national security interest and notifies congressional committees 14 days before the renewal starts. The bill is mainly declaratory and procedural: it expresses Congress’s view that closer defense cooperation with Taiwan strengthens U.S. security, identifies Taiwan’s recent trade and Foreign Military Sales data, and sets a time-limited statutory parity in how certain export and defense laws apply to Taiwan.
Taiwan is the 7th largest trading partner in goods with the United States.
Taiwan is recognized by 12 countries as an independent state and is treated by the United States as a major non-NATO ally for purposes of transfer or possible transfer of defense articles or services under section 1206 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107–228; 22 U.S.C. 2321k).
The unclassified summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy prioritized U.S. efforts to protect America’s allies and partners, stating U.S. defense objectives include defending allies from military aggression, bolstering partners against coercion, and fairly sharing responsibilities for common defense.
The Taiwan Relations Act states that the United States will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability (Public Law 96–8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.).
Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, Congress has for more than four decades approved numerous defense articles and services for Taiwan’s self-defense, and since 2017 those approvals have included HIMARS, F–16 C/D fighter jets, M142 launchers, MK 48 heavyweight torpedoes, Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems, Stinger man-portable air defense systems, M109A6 Paladin howitzers, MS–110 Airborne Reconnaissance Systems, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, and Field Information Communications Systems.
Who is affected and how:
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For purposes of applying and administering the specified subsections of 22 U.S.C. 2753, Taiwan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in those provisions during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment (with possible additional 5-year renewals subject to Secretary of State determination and notice).
For purposes of applying and administering the specified subsections of 22 U.S.C. 2761, Taiwan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in those provisions during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment (with possible additional 5-year renewals subject to Secretary of State determination and notice).
For purposes of applying and administering the specified subsections of 22 U.S.C. 2776, Taiwan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in those provisions during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment (with possible additional 5-year renewals subject to Secretary of State determination and notice).
For purposes of applying and administering the specified provision (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1)), Taiwan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in that provision during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment (with possible additional 5-year renewals subject to Secretary of State determination and notice).
For purposes of applying and administering the specified provision (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)), Taiwan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in that provision during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment (with possible additional 5-year renewals subject to Secretary of State determination and notice).
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Taiwan PLUS Act
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Introduced May 21, 2025 by Richard Lynn Scott · Last progress May 21, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Introduced in Senate