US senators bill aims to support Taiwan, counter Chinese influence

US Republican senators introduced a bill on Thursday designed to position the US for success in its competition against China, with provisions that include enhanced support for Taiwan.

"The STRATEGIC Act comes at an important time as the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] continues its efforts to undermine security and stability in the Indo-Pacific," said Senator Todd Young in the report by Taipei Times.

This legislative package, according to Young, "contains several critical initiatives to counter the CCP, strengthen American supply chains and bolster American support for Taiwan."

The bill aims to protect the interests of the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region while pushing back against China's increasing global influence, Senator Dan Sullivan said. The act features measures such as antitrust reform to target China's predatory economic behavior, along with a provision to enhance US backing for Taiwan.

A significant aspect of the bill includes the formation of a "Tiger Team" within the State and Treasury departments. This team would be responsible for identifying "targets for sanctions, export controls and other economic measures well before China takes military action" against Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.

The bill also includes a provision on the "Treatment of the government of Taiwan," which states that the US should "treat the democratically elected government of Taiwan as the legitimate representative of the people of Taiwan" and end the outdated practice of referring to Taiwan's government as the "authorities."

Additionally, the bill calls for the removal of any restrictions on interactions between US officials and their Taiwanese counterparts. This would include allowing official visits and permitting the display of Taiwan's national symbols

The act also proposes that the US transfer "obsolete or surplus items" to Taiwan, including equipment that could be used as reserve stock.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that it detected seven Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels operating around Taiwan from 6 am (local time) on Friday to 6 am (local time) on Saturday. According to the MND, five of the seven People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering the northern and central areas of the country's air defence identification zone (ADIZ). In response, Taiwan dispatched aircraft and naval vessels, along with coastal-based missile systems, to monitor PLA activities.