Taiwan-related key points of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act

[Compile Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] After the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2023 was passed by the House of Representatives on the 8th, it was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on the 15th with 83 votes. With one vote against it, the legislation will be completed after President Biden signs it.

The NDAA authorizes a defense budget of US$858 billion (approximately 26.5 trillion Taiwan dollars). In the next five years, it can provide Taiwan with US$10 billion in "free" military aid, and requests to expedite the processing of Taiwan's military purchase request. Send officials to Taiwan to strengthen cooperation between the two sides against China.

Ten billion dollars in free aid to Taiwan in the next five years

With strong bipartisan support, the NDAA calls for Taiwan’s support in the face of China’s threat, and authorizes the U.S. government, through the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, to Provide Taiwan with a maximum of US$2 billion in free military aid; and authorize the provision of Taiwan's FMF loans with a maximum of US$2 billion, with a repayment period of 12 years.

In addition, the NDAA also authorizes the President to use the "Presidential Appropriation Authority" to misappropriate military supplies or services worth up to one billion U.S. dollars from the Ministry of Defense inventory to Taiwan every year, but the actual appropriation amount still depends on the subsequent appropriation bill.

Please read on...

The NDAA also requires the State Department and the Ministry of National Defense to prioritize and expedite the processing of Taiwan's military purchase needs, and not to delay processing on the grounds of package sales, and calls for Taiwan to be invited to participate in the 2024 Rim of the Pacific military exercise.

Invite Taiwan to participate in the Rim-Pacific military exercise to fight against China

The NDAA also records that the United States plans to send civil servants to Taiwan. Unlike the previous stay of several months, this time the longest stay is two years. In the first year, they will study Chinese, humanities and political environment, and the relationship between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region. It is estimated that ten people will be sent to Taiwan every year to work in the Legislative Yuan.

Richard Pearson, Director of the Bureau of the Western Pacific Research Project, a non-profit organization in charge of the residency program, revealed that the US will start recruiting people who are interested in going to Taiwan early next year, and they will be officially assigned in September.