U.S.-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act

The U.S.-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act would direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a strategic partnership with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. The goal is to coordinate defense industrial priorities and expand defense technology cooperation in order to bolster Taiwan’s defense industrial base, open markets for U.S. and Taiwan tech firms, and deter regional adversaries—particularly the People’s Republic of China and related proxy groups. The bill emphasizes advancing emerging technologies and dual-use capabilities (technologies with both civilian and military uses) and includes specific coordination aims such as aligning on defense priorities, streamlining research and development, and creating pathways to market for defense tech startups. It also identifies a set of targeted dual-use capabilities for collaborative development, including drones, microchips, directed energy weapons, AI, missiles, and ISR technology. The bill is aspirational guidance for a bilateral partnership, outlining objectives and areas of collaboration but does not provide funding, implementation timelines, or a detailed governance framework. It signals a broader U.S. push to integrate Taiwan more closely into defense tech innovation and production, while seeking to deter PRC-adversarial activities through coordinated technology development and market opportunities.