TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Representative Michael Gallagher on Friday (Jan. 21) introduced the Arm Taiwan Act, which would see the secretary of defense establish the Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative and approve US$3 billion (NT$83.11 billion) annually for the initiative from 2023-2027.

Gallagher said Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) has made unification with Taiwan “a key part of his legacy” and warned that the Chinese Communist Party is becoming increasingly aggressive as it perceives weakness abroad on the part of the Biden administration, according to a press release from the representative's office.

“Congress needs to step up to restore deterrence before it is too late. I am proud to join Senator Hawley in introducing the Arm Taiwan Act to provide Taiwan with the necessary resources and weapons to defeat an attempted invasion," Gallagher said.

The act specifies how the allotted annual funds for Taiwan’s defense be used, specifically focusing on providing equipment, training, and other support necessary to bolster Taiwan’s asymmetric defense capabilities and discourage a Chinese invasion.

The act also requires Taiwan to match U.S. investments in its asymmetric defenses, increase defense spending, acquire asymmetric defense capabilities, and implement defense reforms, in order to receive funds from the Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative.

Additionally, the bill “conditions the future sale, lease, or other provision of conventional weapons by the United States to Taiwan on demonstrated progress by Taiwan toward fielding a credible asymmetric defense.”

Senator Josh Hawley introduced a bill proposing identical stipulations in the Senate in early November.