TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced new legislation calling on the Trump administration to bolster the development of Taiwan’s drone industry and build a China-free supply chain in response to rising threats from Beijing.
The bill was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Andy Kim, Ted Cruz, and John Curtis, per Semafor. The legislation seeks to establish a working group comprised of the US State Department and the Pentagon to assess Taiwan’s domestic drone manufacturing capabilities and explore avenues for joint US–Taiwan drone and related component production.
The “Blue Skies for Taiwan Act," first shared with Semafor, aims to create a reliable "PRC-independent” drone supply chain for Taiwan and US allies. To achieve this goal, the bill calls on the US government to establish a cooperative framework with Taiwan and other Asian partners to promote drone supply chains and increase interoperability.
Merkley told Semafor, “Our bipartisan effort not only protects American strategic interests and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, but it also ensures that Taiwan is well-equipped to develop unmanned aerial systems in support of its own defense and our national security.”
While Taiwan enjoys broad bipartisan support in the US Senate, it remains unclear whether the bill will pass. China has stepped up the use of drones to pressure Taiwan and has reportedly deployed attack drones converted from obsolete J-6 fighters at bases near the Taiwan Strait.
