U.S. senator reintroduces bill to allow arms loans or leases to Taiwan

• Senator Marsha Blackburn has re-introduced a bill aimed at authorizing Washington to lend or lease defense items to Taipei to deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan.
• The content of the bill is the same as the one sponsored by Blackburn in 2022 that failed to make it through Senate.
• Under the bill, Washington may lend or lease defense articles to Taiwan’s government with interest, as part of efforts to protect Taiwan from “potential aggression carried out by the People’s Liberation Army of China” against Taiwan.
• According to the bill, acts of aggression by Beijing include the full or partial naval blockade of Taiwan, an amphibious assault and ground invasion of the island, and a seizure of one or more of the outlying islands controlled by Taiwan’s government, among others.
• The bill stipulates that the United States should report to Congress about what defense articles it deems “appropriate” for supplying Taiwan on loan or lease within 90 days of the bill being signed into law.
• No later than 60 days after the bill is enacted, the U.S. should establish expedited procedures for the delivery of loaned or leased defense items to Taiwan, the bill states.

External Link : https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202303110008