(1) The Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 
et seq.; Public Law 96–8) is the cornerstone of rela-
tions between the United States and Taiwan, which 
is also governed by the three joint communique´s and 
the Six Assurances. 
(2) The Taiwan Relations Act has governed 
United States arms sales to Taiwan since 1979, 
when the United States extended diplomatic recogni-
tion to the People’s Republic of China. 
(3) The Taiwan Relations Act specifies that it 
is United States policy, among other things, to con-
sider any nonpeaceful means to determine Taiwan’s 
future ‘‘a threat’’ to the peace and security of the 
Western Pacific and of ‘‘grave concern’’ to the 
United States, ‘‘to provide Taiwan with arms of a 
defensive character’’, and ‘‘to maintain the capacity 
of the United States to resist any resort to force or 
other forms of coercion’’ jeopardizing the security or 
social or economic system of Taiwan’s people. 
(4) Section 3(a) of the Taiwan Relations Act 
states that ‘‘the United States will make available to 
Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in 
such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan 
to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability’’. 
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(5) Section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act 
stipulates that both the President and the Congress 
shall determine the nature and quantity of such de-
fense articles and services ‘‘based solely’’ upon their 
judgment of the needs of Taiwan. 
(6) Taiwan in March 2009 issued its first 
Quadrennial Defense Review, a robust, defense-ori-
ented strategy that aims to shape the regional secu-
rity environment and deter conflict while trans-
forming the military into a leaner, more efficient 
fighting force with sustainable capabilities, thereby 
helping to demonstrate that Taiwan has the resolve 
and commitment to successfully strengthen its own 
defenses. 
(7) According to the Congressional Research 
Service, the executive branch has yet to send any 
arms transfer notifications to Congress for Taiwan 
during calendar year 2009, including notifications 
for Blackhawk helicopters, diesel submarine design, 
and additional Patriot PAC–3 systems, nor has it 
yet transferred the OSPREY class minehunter 
coastal ships ORIOLE (MHC–55) and FALCON 
(MHC–59), even though Congress authorized the 
sale of these ships in calendar 2008 in the Consoli-
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dated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (Public Law 
110–229). 
(8) Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has reit-
erated his administration’s desire to acquire United 
States built F–16 C/Ds and other weapons on many 
public occasions, including in an April 22 address to 
the United States by teleconference to mark the 
30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and a 
statement issued during a May 26 transit stop in 
the United States on his way to Central America for 
a diplomatic visit. 
(9) Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou also 
stated on October 2, 2009, that ‘‘Although there are 
pragmatic improvements in cross-strait ties, this 
doesn’t mean we can let our guard down.’’. 
(10) As highlighted in the March 2009 Depart-
ment of Defense annual report to Congress on Chi-
na’s military, ‘‘China’s armed forces are rapidly de-
veloping coercive capabilities . . . [that] could in the 
future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settle-
ment of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing’s terms 
while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or 
deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case 
of conflict.’’. 
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SEC. 2. MANDATORY CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS. 
(a) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and at least annually 
thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense, shall provide detailed briefings to 
Congress on— 
(1) any discussions conducted between any ex-
ecutive branch agency and the Government of Tai-
wan during the covered period; and 
(2) any potential transfer of defense articles or 
defense services to the Government of Taiwan. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe-
riod’’ means, with respect to— 
(A) the initial briefing required under sub-
section (a), the period beginning on the date of 
the enactment of this Act and ending on the 
date of such initial briefing; and 
(B) subsequent briefings required under 
such subsection, the period beginning on the 
day after the date of the most recent briefing 
and ending on the date of any such subsequent 
briefing. 
(2) EXECUTIVE
BRANCH
AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘executive branch agency’’ has the meaning given 
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the term ‘‘agency’’ in section 551(1) of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(3) DEFENSE ARTICLE.—The term ‘‘defense ar-
ticle’’ has the meaning given the term in section 47 
of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2794). 
(4) DEFENSE
SERVICE.—The term ‘‘defense 
service’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
47 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
2794). 
Æ 
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