On October 7, 2025, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, officially introduced the “Deter PRC Aggression Against Taiwan Act” in the United States Senate. This act aims to deter Chinese Communist aggression against Taiwan through economic sanctions.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee stated that this legislation, designed to protect Taiwan’s security and uphold U.S. national interests, would establish a cross-department task force called the “Tiger Team.” This team will be responsible for identifying Chinese military and non-military targets to enable the U.S. to impose sanctions, export controls, and other economic measures swiftly in response to Chinese aggression against Taiwan or attempts to overthrow the Taiwanese government.
Risch emphasized that China’s escalating threatening actions are part of its strategy to intimidate Taiwan and other Asian countries into submission, but the United States will not allow its friends to be bullied. He highlighted that this legislation draws lessons from the challenges faced by the U.S. and its allies in implementing sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The act aims to ensure that the U.S. can swiftly deploy sanctions should China use force against Taiwan, targeting critical Chinese interests.
The legislation mandates the establishment of a “Sanctions Task Force on China” jointly led by the State Department and the Treasury Department. This team will identify potential targets for immediate sanctions and economic actions should China attempt to control Taiwan by force or political means.
The task force must assess the inadequacies in resources and authorities for countering Chinese threatening actions and determine if additional authorizations are necessary to ensure a swift and effective response to Chinese threats through sanctions and economic measures.
The act requires the U.S. to coordinate with allies and partners as much as possible to ensure a unified and complementary approach in countering Chinese threatening actions, enhancing the effectiveness of sanctions and economic measures.
The task force must provide briefings to Congress and submit annual reports, including recommendations on how to more effectively use sanctions to respond to Chinese threats and malicious actions.
Reports suggest that U.S. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping may meet at the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea at the end of October. However, U.S. Ambassador to China, David Perdue, stated in a CNBC interview that a Trump-Xi meeting is “unlikely” before the next year.
The U.S. government has recently maintained signals that its position on Taiwan-related issues remains unchanged.
On October 1, U.S. Ambassador David Perdue mentioned that regarding Taiwan, Trump has made it clear that the U.S. will not change its “One China Policy” and will adhere to the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Communiqués, and Ronald Reagan’s Six Assurances. These policies have been very effective globally in the past, and the U.S. does not wish to be coerced, seeking peaceful resolutions.
On September 30, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department reiterated that the U.S. consistently opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo. China’s actions continue to pose the single greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
On the other hand, the Chinese side claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has stated that they will not abandon the option of using military force to unify Taiwan.