Washington, Dec 8 (NationPress) The 2026 US defense legislation amplifies Washington’s resistance against China, imposing stricter regulations on companies with ties to the Chinese military and enhancing political, economic, and military backing for Taiwan.

On Sunday, congressional leaders unveiled the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which positions Beijing as America’s foremost strategic adversary in military, industrial, diplomatic, and global economic arenas. This bill is set to be presented on the House floor later this week.

A significant portion of the NDAA fortifies restrictions on "Chinese military entities in third-party nations," broadening the legal definition of organizations linked "directly or indirectly" to the People’s Liberation Army, Chinese security forces, the Ministry of State Security, and related bodies under the Central Military Commission. These limitations apply to such entities regardless of their operations being "inside or outside of China," reflecting congressional apprehension that Beijing increasingly exploits foreign subsidiaries and partnerships to circumvent US regulations and access sensitive technologies.

Taiwan is poised to receive some of the most substantial support in recent years.

The NDAA initiates the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025, mandating the United States to "actively endorse" Taiwan’s inclusion in the International Monetary Fund, should Taipei pursue membership.

The bill highlights Taiwan’s economic prowess as the world’s 21st-largest economy and emphasizes that US law should not be construed to justify Taiwan’s exclusion from global organizations.

Moreover, the legislation obligates Washington to advocate for Taiwan’s involvement in IMF surveillance activities and to guarantee employment prospects for Taiwanese citizens at the Fund, pushing back against decades of Chinese pressure aimed at limiting Taiwan’s role in international financial institutions.

On the security front, the NDAA expands the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, incorporating support for medical contingency care, combat casualty capabilities, and additional defense-related equipment. For the fiscal year 2026, Congress allocates up to $1 billion specifically for Taiwan’s defense requirements. Furthermore, the bill instructs the Pentagon to initiate a collaborative program with Taiwan "to facilitate the deployment of uncrewed systems and counter-uncrewed systems capabilities," including the co-development of new platforms tailored for asymmetric defense.

These measures indicate the US goal to enhance Taiwan’s capacity to deter or withstand a potential PLA offensive through diversified, resilient, high-volume capabilities, which are deemed essential to a contemporary island-defense strategy.

The NDAA’s Indo-Pacific posture sections reaffirm Congress’s perspective of China as the main strategic competitor. The bill directs the Pentagon to create a comprehensive five-year strategy aimed at bolstering multilateral defense throughout the region, broadening joint exercises, and amplifying combined maritime operations "through the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea." Congress also extends the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, maintaining investments in forward posture, integrated air defenses, prepositioned munitions, and logistics frameworks designed to counter PLA power projection.

Industrial competition with China is another critical focus. The NDAA establishes the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience, empowering the Pentagon to fortify a robust defense industrial network, collaborate with allied industries, alleviate supply-chain vulnerabilities, boost production capabilities, and expedite the development of advanced systems. These measures address concerns regarding China’s supremacy in crucial materials, manufacturing infrastructure, and defense-relevant technologies.

From a diplomatic angle, the bill introduces a new Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region, tasked with identifying US strategic priorities and directly countering "malign People’s Republic of China influence activities in the Indian Ocean region." Congress perceives the Indian Ocean as an emerging area of Chinese naval and political engagement, including dual-use port development and expanded PLA Navy logistics.

Other provisions encompass maritime awareness, cyber cooperation in Southeast Asia, restrictions on PRC-linked entertainment partnerships, and reporting requirements for Chinese influence operations globally.

In summary, the NDAA 2026 signifies one of Washington’s most thorough legislative initiatives to confront China’s growing influence and reinforce Taiwan’s political, economic, and military robustness. As US–China rivalry intensifies across the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean, the bill outlines a strategy for sustained strategic pressure on Beijing and ongoing support for Taipei across all significant domains.