Source: Global Times
[Global Times reporter Bai Yunyi, special correspondent Chen Lifei] According to Taiwanese media reports, the U.S. House of Representatives on the 18th passed the fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill, which plans to allocate $500 million for the so-called "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative." In addition, the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services recently passed the fiscal year 2026 defense authorization bill, and "strongly recommended" that the Pentagon invite Taiwan to participate in the 2026 RIMPAC military exercises. The wording has been upgraded from the previous "recommendation" used in previous bills.
According to a report by Taiwan's Central News Agency, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill early on the 18th with a vote of 221 to 209, providing a total of $831.5 billion in discretionary budget to advance the "America First" agenda. The report stated that the bill includes a $500 million allocation managed by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency for the so-called "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative," with a validity period until September 30, 2027. The bill states that this fund can be used by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, upon the agreement of the Secretary of State, to provide assistance to Taiwan, including the purchase of new defense supplies and services, as well as military education and training. The U.S. Secretary of Defense must submit quarterly reports to the House Committee on Armed Forces regarding the use and status of this fund. The report mentioned that some Republican representatives proposed to delete the $500 million military aid funding for Taiwan, arguing that it is $100 million more than the 2025 fiscal year, which would only increase Taiwan's dependence. The United States is already overwhelmed and "should not provoke a third world war with China," but this proposal was not adopted. This bill needs to be reviewed and passed by the Senate, then signed into law by the President.
According to a report by Taiwan's China Times News Network, the U.S. Senate has preliminarily passed the fiscal year 2026 defense authorization bill. In the text of the bill passed by the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the wording for inviting Taiwan to participate in the RIMPAC exercises has been upgraded from the previous "recommendation" to "strongly recommend," and requires that if Taiwan is not invited, the Secretary of Defense must explain the reasons to Congress. The bill also authorizes an additional $1 billion for the "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative" and expands its usage rights in areas such as combat casualty treatment and medical equipment.
However, according to comments from experts in defense and security, the political significance of the RIMPAC exercises has now surpassed its military significance. If Taiwan joins the exercises, it may cause suspicion among regional countries and conflict with the U.S. one-China policy, leading to various problems that the U.S. may not have the capacity to handle. Beijing will view Taiwan's participation in the exercises as crossing the red line of the one-China principle, stating, "Even if we cannot fight the U.S., there are certainly ways to teach Taiwan a lesson." Other researchers said that regarding the invitation of Taiwan to participate in the RIMPAC exercises, "the U.S. Congress recommends it every year, but it always fails, so the expectations for this time should not be too high."
Professor Li Haidong from the School of Foreign Affairs told the Global Times on the 20th that the U.S. Congress often plays an extreme and irresponsible role in its policies toward Taiwan. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S., the Congress has always been the biggest obstacle for the U.S. government in communicating with China on the Taiwan issue. Taiwanese lobbying groups have long infiltrated and even "bought" some members of Congress, causing the Congress to consider more domestic political factors rather than the stability of Sino-U.S. relations when dealing with Taiwan-related issues. Li Haidong believes that the relevant U.S. legislation shows that the U.S. is deepening its intervention in the Taiwan Strait issue, which will intensify the tension in the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwanese public opinion is concerned that arming Taiwan may affect international business investments. According to a report by the Financial Times, Japanese government officials are conveying to Japanese companies that, under the framework of Japan's Peace Constitution, its Self-Defense Forces can only be deployed to the area if allowed by another party. However, since Japan does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the Japanese government would face difficulties in evacuating its citizens if a war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait. Diplomats and Japanese businessmen revealed that Japanese businesses in Taiwan have received warnings for three years, stating that if companies place important assets in Taiwan, they will have to rely on themselves, and if they need to evacuate employees from Japanese companies in Taiwan, they will have to deal with it themselves. On the 20th, the China Times reported that the Japanese warning has caused a chilling effect among Japanese companies. Data shows that last year, Japanese investment dropped by 27% to $452 million, far below the peak of $1.7 billion in 2022.
According to Taiwanese media reports, two Japanese major companies recently withdrew investments from a renowned department store in Taiwan, and the local people believe that the Japanese companies' actions amount to "voting with their feet." Analysts said that as one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Taiwan, Japan's warnings have affected the economy and trade of the region, highlighting the real and political difficulties faced by overseas enterprises in Taiwan when dealing with potential geopolitical risks.
On July 19, Pin Media commented that while the relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. appears to be "stable," a Washington think tank previously released a report warning all parties to prepare for "evacuation plans" and to include evacuation operations in the RIMPAC exercises. Therefore, rumors about the American Institute in Taiwan having an "evacuation plan" have resurfaced, causing renewed doubts about the U.S. in Taiwan. For a long time, Taiwan has relied on weapons purchases from the U.S. to strengthen its defense. It is criticized that Taiwan buys outdated weapons from the U.S., which are also seen as a way to exploit them. The article states that rejecting the U.S. weapons without question under the delusion of the Democratic Progressive Party's pro-American policy can have a profound impact on Taiwan's security.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7529299924828029450/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your attitude by clicking on the 【up/down】 buttons below.