U.S. Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Arm Taiwan, Mirroring Ukraine Aid Bill

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation that would authorize the Biden administration to establish a new military aid program for Taiwan, resembling a recently passed bill to surge weapon shipments to Ukraine. The so-called ‘Taiwan Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act’ — introduced Friday by Republican congresswoman Michelle Steel and Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta, both of California, as well as Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee — would authorize the U.S. president to lend or lease weapons and military equipment to the self-ruled island territory of Chinese Taipei, which Taiwan would pay for over a 12-year period.    …