Washington: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a bill aimed at strengthening cooperation with Taiwan on drone development and reducing reliance on supply chains linked to China. The proposed Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026 was put forward by Republicans Ted Cruz and John Curtis, along with Democrats Jeff Merkley and Andy Kim.
According to Focus Taiwan, the legislation seeks to ease constraints on U.S.-Taiwan cooperation in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This includes addressing dependence on China-sourced components, limited access to capital, and regulatory barriers under U.S. export controls. The bill aims to establish a "Blue UAS Working Group," led by the Departments of State and Defense, to assess Taiwan's drone production capacity and identify opportunities and obstacles to integrating Taiwan-made components into U.S. defense supply chains.
The proposed bill also calls for the creation of a cooperative framework with regional allies to develop supply chains independent of China. It directs U.S. agencies to create a fast-track certification process for Taiwanese drone manufacturers and component suppliers.
Senator Cruz stated that the Chinese Communist Party expends significant resources to isolate Taiwan internationally. He emphasized that the bill would modernize drone supply chains and deepen U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation. Senator Merkley underscored that support for Taiwan remains "ironclad" as pressure from Beijing increases.
Senator Curtis noted that the legislation would expand bilateral cooperation to build secure drone systems while reducing reliance on China and reinforcing regional deterrence. Senator Kim highlighted the growing importance of drones in modern defense, warning that the U.S. and its partners are not producing them at a sufficient scale, while China dominates the supply of commercially available components. He stated that supporting Taiwan's drone industry through legislation would help close that gap and enhance long-term stability for the U.S. and its allies.