,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cjfh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,october #bf1 #bjba ,mr4 ,markey 7for himself and ,mr4 ,sullivan7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to support stability across the ,taiwan ,strait4 #a4 ,short titles ,this ,act may be cited as the ,taiwan ,actions ,supporting ,security by ,undertaking ,regular ,engagements ,act or the ,taiwan ,,assure ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,consistent with the ,asia ,reassurance ,initiative ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dji71 the ,united ,states has grown its strategic partnership with ,taiwan's vibrant democracy of #bc1jjj1jjj people4 7#b7 ,section #b7;b7 of the ,taiwan ,relations ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ccja7;b77 declares that it is the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7,a7 to preserve and promote extensive1 close1 and friendly commercial1 cultural1 and other relations between the people of the ,united ,states and the people on ,taiwan1 as well as the people on the ,china mainland and all other peoples of the ,western ,pacific area2 and 7,b7 to declare that peace and stability in the ,western ,pacific area are in the political1 security1 and economic interests of the ,united ,states1 and are matters of international concern4 7#c7 ,in recent years1 the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china 7,,prc7 has intensified its efforts to diplomatically isolate and intimidate ,taiwan through-- 7,a7 punitive economic measures2 7,b7 increased military provocations2 and 7,c7 exertions of malign influence to undermine democracy in ,taiwan4 7#d7 ,to ensure the durability of the ,united ,states policy under the ,taiwan ,relations ,act 7,public ,law #aae-dji71 it is necessary-- 7,a7 to reinforce-- 7i7 ,taiwan's international participation2 7ii7 ,taiwan's global economic integration2 and 7iii7 the credibility of ,taiwan's military deterrent2 and 7,b7 to simultaneously take measures to reduce the risk of miscalculation among the ,,prc1 the ,united ,states1 and ,taiwan4 7#e7 ,taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations in which statehood is not a requirement benefits the global community1 as evidenced by the fact that ,taiwan was the first to inform the ,world ,health ,organization of cases of atypical pneumonia reported in ,wuhan1 ,china1 on ,december #ca1 #bjai4 7#f7 ,despite the ,,covid-#ai pandemic creating an opportunity for the ,government of the ,,prc to launch a disinformation campaign aimed at sowing internal social division and undermining confidence in the response of ,taiwanese authorities1 ,taiwan has been overwhelmingly successful in controlling the pandemic4 7#g7 ,the ,global ,cooperation and ,training ,framework1 a ,united ,states-,taiwan-,japan platform for ,taiwan to share its expertise with the world1 has sponsored nearly #cj workshops since #bjae to share ,taiwan's knowledge on issues such as addressing ,,covid-#ai misinformation1 disaster relief1 women's empowerment1 and good governance4 7#h7 ,section #b7;b77#b7 of the ,taiwan ,relations ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ccja7;b77#b77 states it is the policy of the ,united ,states to declare that peace and stability in the ,western ,pacific area are in the political1 security1 and economic interests of the ,united ,states1 and are matters of international concern4 7#i7 ,the ,,prc's recent military activities around ,taiwan1 including conducting #aj transits and military exercises near ,taiwan since ,january #bjba and #chj sorties into ,taiwan's ,air ,defense ,identification ,zone in #bjbj 7the greatest number since #aiif71 have destabilized ,northeast ,asia4 7#aj7 ,increased air and sea activity in and around the ,taiwan ,strait and the ,east ,china ,sea by the ,,prc1 ,taiwan1 the ,united ,states1 and ,japan increase the likelihood of accidents that may-- 7,a7 escalate tensions around ,taiwan2 and 7,b7 undermine the stability across the ,taiwan ,strait and regional peace in the ,northeast ,asia4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 ,united ,states engagement with ,taiwan should focus on actions1 activities1 and programs that mutually benefit the ,united ,states and ,taiwan2 7#b7 the ,united ,states should prioritize-- 7,a7 people-to-people exchanges2 7,b7 bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation2 and 7,c7 assisting ,taiwan's efforts to participate in international institutions2 7#c7 the ,united ,states should pursue new engagement initiatives with ,taiwan1 such as-- 7,a7 enhancing cooperation on science and technology2 7,b7 joint infrastructure development in third countries2 7,c7 renewable energy and environmental sustainability development2 and 7,d7 investment screening coordination2 7#d7 the ,united ,states should expand its financial support for the ,global ,cooperation and ,training ,framework1 and encourage like-minded countries to co-sponsor workshops1 to showcase ,taiwan's capacity to contribute to solving global challenges in the face of the ,government of the ,,prc's campaign to isolate ,taiwan in the international community2 7#e7 to advance the goals of the ,april #bjba ,department of ,state guidance expanding unofficial ,united ,states-,taiwan contacts1 the ,united ,states1 ,taiwan1 and ,japan should aim to host ,global ,cooperation and ,training ,framework workshops timed to coincide with plenaries and other meetings of international organizations in which ,taiwan is unable to participate2 7#f7 the ,united ,states should support efforts to engage regional counterparts in ,track #a4e and ,track #b dialogues on the stability across the ,taiwan ,strait1 which are important for increasing strategic awareness amongst all parties and the avoidance of conflict2 7#g7 ,united ,states arms sales to ,taiwan should support ,taiwan's asymmetric defense capabilities1 as outlined in ,taiwan's ,overall ,defense ,concept1 and improve ,taiwan's military deterrent2 7#h7 bilateral confidence-building measures and crisis stability dialogues between the ,united ,states and the ,,prc are important mechanisms for maintaining deterrence and stability across the ,taiwan ,strait and should be prioritized2 and 7#i7 the ,united ,states and the ,,prc should prioritize the use of a fully operational military crisis hotline to provide a mechanism for the leadership of the two countries to communicate directly in order to quickly resolve misunderstandings that could lead to military escalation4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,d7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,china2 ,,prc ,the terms ,china and ,,prc mean the ,people's ,republic of ,china4 7#c7 ,taiwan authorities ,the term ,taiwan authorities means officials of the ,government of ,taiwan4 #e4 ,authorization of appropriations for the ,global ,cooperation and ,training ,framework ,there are authorized to be appropriated for the ,global ,cooperation and ,training ,framework under the ,economic ,support ,fund authorized under section #eca of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcdf71 #f1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbe1 which may be expended for trainings and activities that increase ,taiwan's economic and international integration4 #f4 ,enhancing partnership 7a7 ,national guard partnership program 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,state and the appropriate ,taiwan authorities1 shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the feasibility and advisability of establishing a ,national ,guard partnership program between ,united ,states ,national ,guard forces and the ,armed ,forces ,reserve ,command of ,taiwan 7referred to in this section as ,taiwan's ,reserve ,command74 7#b7 ,objectives ,the report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall examine how the establishment of a ,national ,guard partnership program would-- 7,a7 advance ,taiwan's ,reserve ,command's ability to recruit1 train1 and equip its forces1 including its ability to require and provide regular individual and collective training to all reserve forces2 7,b7 cultivate relationships among ,united ,states and ,taiwan reserve forces at the tactical1 operational1 and strategic levels2 7,c7 enhance ,taiwan's ability to respond to humanitarian disasters2 and 7,d7 strengthen ,taiwan's ability to defend against outside military aggression4 7#c7 ,contents ,the report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a comprehensive assessment of the policy opportunities and drawbacks associated with establishing a ,national ,guard partnership program2 7,b7 an assessment of any statutory or administrative barriers to establishing such a program1 including a determination of the feasibility and advisability of-- 7i7 modifying existing ,national ,guard partnership authorities2 or 7ii7 establishing new authorities1 as appropriate2 7,c7 an evaluation of the capacity of-- 7i7 ,united ,states ,national ,guard forces to support such a program2 and 7ii7 ,taiwan's ,reserve ,command forces to absorb such a program2 7,d7 a determination of the most appropriate entities within the ,department of ,defense and ,taiwan's ,reserve ,command to lead such a program2 and 7,e7 a determination of additional resources and authorities that may be required to execute such a program4 7#d7 ,form of report ,the report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be unclassified1 but may include a classified annex if the ,secretary of ,defense and the ,secretary of ,state determine that the inclusion of a classified annex is appropriate4 7b7 ,taiwan's asymmetric defense strategy ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,state1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a classified report1 with an unclassified summary1 assessing the implementation of ,taiwan's asymmetric defense strategy1 including the priorities identified in ,taiwan's ,overall ,defense ,concept4 #g4 ,supporting confidence building measures and stability dialogues 7a7 ,annual report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall submit an unclassified report1 with a classified annex1 to the appropriate congressional committees that includes-- 7#a7 a description of all military-to-military dialogues and confidence-building measures between the ,united ,states and the ,,prc during the #aj-year period ending on the date of the enactment of this ,act2 7#b7 a description of all bilateral and multilateral diplomatic engagements with the ,,prc in which cross-,strait issues were discussed during such #aj-year period1 including ,track #a4e and ,track #b dialogues2 7#c7 a description of the efforts in the year preceding the submission of the report to conduct engagements described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b72 and 7#d7 a description of how and why the engagements described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 have changed in frequency or substance during such #aj-year period4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated for the ,department of ,state1 and1 as appropriate1 the ,department of ,defense1 no less than #b1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbe1 which shall be used to support existing ,track #a4e and ,track #b strategic dialogues facilitated by independent nonprofit organizations in which participants meet to discuss cross-,strait stability issues4