Des Moines Sun

Representatives Zach Nunn of Iowa and Jill Tokuda of Hawaii have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing defense technology collaboration between the United States and Taiwan. The legislation, known as the United States-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act, is a response to ongoing tensions with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Representatives John Moolenaar of Michigan and Ashley Hinson of Iowa are also original cosponsors.

“The Chinese Communist Party has made clear its intent to take Taiwan by 2027,” said Rep. Nunn. “The defense partnership laid out in this bill will be a critical deterrence tool, accelerating Taiwan’s access to next-generation U.S. technology and giving them the asymmetric edge they need to defend their sovereignty.”

The act instructs the U.S. Department of Defense to work directly with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense through their respective Defense Innovation Units. This cooperation is intended to speed up development and deployment of dual-use technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, microchips, and advanced surveillance systems.

“With each passing day, Xi Jinping expands coercion aimed at Taiwan,” said House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar. “This legislation would strengthen critical defense industrial collaboration with Taiwan while enhancing our shared readiness against an increasingly threatening Beijing.”

Rep. Tokuda emphasized the need for new approaches in the Indo-Pacific region: “The complex security challenges that the United States and our allies and partners face in the Indo-Pacific call for new and innovative technologies, approaches, and vendors,” she said.“That’s why I’m proud to cosponsor this bill with Congressman Nunn to establish a defense innovation partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense and Taiwan’s defense ministry and promote strategic and meaningful collaborative efforts, strengthen our allies’ defense industrial base, and counter the CCP’s growing technological and military influence. This effort will benefit both Taiwan and the United States as we work together to solidify a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

“Since coming to Congress, I have been a staunch advocate of our diplomacy with Taiwan, and I remain committed to maximizing our strategic partnership with our longstanding ally,” said Rep. Hinson. “I am proud to support Rep. Nunn’s legislation that will expand collaboration on emerging technologies, meaningfully counter China, and rejuvenate American innovation to modernize our defense industrial base so we can, together, deter our greatest adversary and remain the world’s most powerful military.”

Key provisions in the bill include prioritizing joint development of next-generation defense technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence applications, microchips, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance systems (ISR), directed energy weapons; improving coordination on supply chain resilience; strengthening both countries’ defense industrial bases; as well as accelerating deployment of critical capabilities designed to deter aggression from China.

By expanding technological cooperation with Taiwan through this legislation, supporters say it reaffirms America’s commitment to maintaining peace by investing in advanced tools needed for regional stability.

Text of the bill can be found here.