The US Congress is pushing to strengthen support for Taiwan, even as the White House takes a more cautious approach toward Beijing. This year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) expands security cooperation beyond Taiwan to include the broader First Island Chain, calls for a review of delayed arms deliveries and authorizes the pre-positioning of US weapons and munitions in Taiwan. At the same time, Washington continues to delay a major arms package, while new reports question Taiwan’s defense readiness and the future of its semiconductor relationship with the US. Is America’s commitment to Taiwan growing stronger — or becoming more conditional? In this episode, we examine the latest US legislation, the debate over Taiwan’s preparedness and what the evolving relationship means for security across the First Island Chain.
*Recorded on June 18, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Miguel Yang
Our guests:
Ronan Fu
- Academia Sinica Institute of Political Science Assistant Research Fellow
Adam Ma
- Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies Assistant Professor
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