I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4288 
To enhance the security of Taiwan and bolster its participation in the 
international community, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 7, 2017 
Mr. MCCAUL (for himself and Mr. PITTENGER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To enhance the security of Taiwan and bolster its participa-
tion in the international community, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taiwan Security Act 
of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
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(1) Since 1949, the close relationship between 
the United States and Taiwan has been of enormous 
benefit to both parties. 
(2) The security of Taiwan and its democracy 
are key elements for the continued peace and sta-
bility of the greater Asia-Pacific region, and the in-
definite continuation of that security is in the vital 
national security interests of the United States. 
(3) Taiwan and its diplomatic partners continue 
to face sustained pressure and coercion from the 
People’s Republic of China to isolate Taiwan from 
the international community. 
(4) The military balance of power along the 
Taiwan Strait continues to shift in favor of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China, which is currently engaged 
in a comprehensive military modernization campaign 
to enhance the power-projection capabilities of the 
People’s Liberation Army. 
(5) Since the United States discontinued annual 
arms sales talks in 2001, defense article transfers to 
Taiwan have ceased to occur in a routine manner. 
(6) Recent delays, denials, and reductions of 
arms sales do not optimize the ability of Taiwan to 
defend its democracy against potential aggression 
from the People’s Republic of China. 
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SEC. 3. MILITARY EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE UNITED 
STATES AND TAIWAN. 
(a) MILITARY EXCHANGES BETWEEN SENIOR OFFI-
CERS AND OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED STATES AND TAI-
WAN.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pro-
gram of exchanges of senior military officers and senior 
officials between the United States and Taiwan designed 
to improve military to military relations between the 
United States and Taiwan. 
(b) EXCHANGES DESCRIBED.—For the purposes of 
this section, an exchange is an activity, exercise, event, 
or observation opportunity between members of the Armed 
Forces and officials of the Department of Defense, on the 
one hand, and armed forces personnel and officials of Tai-
wan, on the other hand. 
(c) FOCUS OF EXCHANGES.—The exchanges under 
the program required by subsection (a) should include ex-
changes focused on the following: 
(1) Threat analysis. 
(2) Military doctrine. 
(3) Force planning. 
(4) Logistical support. 
(5) Intelligence collection and analysis. 
(6) Operational tactics, techniques, and proce-
dures. 
(7) Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. 
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(d) CIVIL-MILITARY AFFAIRS.—The exchanges under 
the program required by subsection (a) should include ac-
tivities and exercises focused on civil-military relations, in-
cluding relations between the military and parliament. 
(e) LOCATIONS
OF EXCHANGES.—The exchanges 
under the program required by subsection (a) should be 
conducted in both the United States and Taiwan. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘senior military officer’’, with re-
spect to the Armed Forces, means a general or flag 
officer of the Armed Forces on active duty. 
(2) The term ‘‘senior official’’, with respect to 
the Department of Defense, means a civilian official 
of the Department of Defense at the level of Assist-
ant Secretary of Defense or above. 
SEC. 4. ENHANCED DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of State are authorized and encouraged, to the 
extent consistent with law, to send to Taiwan for visits 
officials of the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of State, as applicable, at the Assistant Secretary 
level or above. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the high-level visits authorized by subsection (a) 
will improve bilateral and multilateral policy coordination 
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between the United States and Taiwan, and enhance dia-
logue between the United States and Taiwan, to promote 
peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. 
SEC. 5. ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States shall conduct 
regular transfers of defense articles to Taiwan in order 
to support the efforts of Taiwan to develop and integrate 
asymmetric capabilities, including undersea warfare and 
air defense capabilities, into its military forces. 
(b) ANNUAL STRATEGIC DIALOGUE ON SALES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The United States Govern-
ment shall host senior officials of the Taiwan Min-
istry of National Defense for an annual strategic 
dialogue between the United States and Taiwan on 
arms sales in order to ensure the regular transfer of 
defense articles as described in subsection (a). 
(2) ELEMENT
ON
FINAL
DECISION
ON
RE-
QUESTED TRANSFERS IN ANNUAL DIALOGUE.—Each 
strategic dialogue between the United States and 
Taiwan pursuant to this subsection shall include a 
presentation by United States officials to the Taiwan 
delegation of final decisions by the United States re-
garding the transfer of any defense articles re-
quested by Taiwan within the last fiscal year, wheth-
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er pursuant to the Foreign Military Sales program 
or the Direct Commercial Sales program. 
SEC. 6. INVITATION OF TAIWAN MILITARY FORCES TO PAR-
TICIPATE IN CERTAIN JOINT MILITARY EXER-
CISES. 
The Secretary of Defense shall invite the military 
forces of Taiwan to participate in each of the following: 
(1) The 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise 
(RIMPAC). 
(2) One of the military exercises known as the 
‘‘Red Flag’’ exercise, conducted at Eielson Air Force 
Base, Alaska, and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 
that is conducted during the one-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 7. NAVAL PORT OF CALL EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE 
UNITED STATES AND TAIWAN. 
The Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) reestablish regular ports of call by the 
United States Navy in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, or in any 
other suitable port or ports on the island of Taiwan; 
and 
(2) permit the United States Pacific Command 
to receive ports of call by the navy of the Republic 
of China in Hawaii, Guam, or other appropriate lo-
cations. 
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SEC. 8. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DEFENSE SPENDING BY 
TAIWAN. 
Congress supports the plan of Taiwan to increase its 
defense spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product 
as a necessary and prudent means for Taiwan to enhance 
its military readiness and to more effectively provide for 
the defense of its citizens. 
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TAIWAN AND NORTH 
KOREA. 
Congress supports the continued efforts of Taiwan to 
suspend all economic ties with North Korea, as well as 
the cooperation of Taiwan with the United States to 
achieve the peaceful denuclearization of North Korea. 
Æ 
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