US-Taiwan Ties: The United States Senate has approved its defence policy bill for the 2026 financial year and showing strong support for Taiwan. For the first time the bill “strongly encourages” inviting Taiwan’s navy to join the world’s biggest maritime military drill- the Rim of the Pacific exercise, also known as Rimpac.
The 2026 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) passed in the Senate late on Thursday after weeks of delay. The bill also allows the US government to give US$1 billion to Taiwan through the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. This money will help Taiwan improve combat medical care and buy medical equipment. Many experts see this move as a clear message from Washington to stop China’s increasing military moves in the Indo-Pacific region.
India Builds Advanced Iron Bird Facility to Power AMCA Stealth Fighter Development
According to SCMP, the bill passed with a 77–20 vote which showing rare bipartisan support. The NDAA usually faces political fights, but this time both parties came together even though a partial government shutdown was happening. The bill sets the US defence spending plan and goals for the next year. It also included 17 amendments that passed separately and 48 smaller measures passed by voice vote.
Although the final version of the bill is not yet public, congressional aides told Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA) that the parts about Taiwan remain the same as in the version approved in July by the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
Closer US-Taiwan Ties
In the July version, the Indo-Pacific section says the bill “strongly encourages the US secretary of defence to invite the naval forces of Taiwan to participate in Rimpac, as appropriate.” If the US Defence Department decides not to invite Taiwan, it must explain its reason to Congress.
Before this, since 2021, Congress had made several proposals suggesting that Taiwan should join Rimpac. However, those older proposals were not binding. This new bill uses stronger language, showing that Washington is now pushing harder for Taiwan’s participation in the major naval drills.
Rimpac is led by the US Navy and happens around Hawaii every two years. It is the world’s largest joint naval exercise. The event helps Indo-Pacific countries work together and build better military cooperation. The last Rimpac took place last year and included 29 countries and more than 25,000 people.
Taiwan has never been part of Rimpac since the event started in 1971. Interestingly, China was invited twice in 2014 and 2016 but was banned from joining again after 2018. The US made that decision because of China’s growing activities in the South China Sea and the increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Beijing still claims Taiwan as part of its own territory and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island. China has also increased pressure on Taiwan, especially after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te became president last year and called Beijing a “foreign hostile force.”
The United States does not officially recognise Taiwan as a separate country, but it remains Taiwan’s main arms supplier and strongest supporter. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington must provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and oppose any attempt to change the peace across the Taiwan Strait by using force.
Strong Symbolism
Wang Ting-yu, a lawmaker from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the bill’s wording itself is a big deal. “Even the fact that this ‘strong recommendation’ is written into the NDAA carries huge significance. A real invitation would mark an important step forward in Taiwan-US relations,” he said.
Wang, who serves on Taiwan’s foreign and defence affairs committee, explained that the US and Taiwan have already been doing joint training and that American officers have attended Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military drills as observers. He added “Rimpac participation would be a natural next step.”
Zen Technologies bags Anti-Drone Systems order worth Rs 37 crore from Ministry of Defence
Experts also believe this new measure sends a strong message to Beijing. Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst from Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR), said, “The NDAA reflects bipartisan consensus in Washington on supporting Taiwan’s security. It demonstrates America’s deterrence signal towards China and shows that securing Taiwan is vital, not just for the island itself but for the entire first island chain.”
The “first island chain” refers to a stretch of islands running from Japan through Taiwan and the Philippines down to Borneo. This line is seen as an important boundary between China’s nearby seas and the larger Pacific Ocean. Su also explained that Taiwan’s safety affects sea routes used by Japan and Southeast Asian countries which makes the island’s security important for the whole region.
