The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to discuss the Taiwan Policy Act on Wednesday. That’s according to a report from the Associated Press. The move comes as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan on Tuesday evening for a visit. Pelosi’s arrival has been met with disdain from China.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking the island by force. Pelosi’s visit is seen as an affirmation of Taiwan’s sovereignty and a demonstration of support for the country. China has stepped up military activity around Taiwan during Pelosi’s trip.
The Taiwan Policy Act seeks to provide US$4.5 billion in security assistance to Taiwan over four years. Furthermore, the bill would recognize Taiwan as a “major Non-NATO ally” of the United States. The Taiwan Policy Act’s proponents say that if passed, the law would be the most significant shift in the US’s Taiwan policy since the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.