Rep. Ratcliffe U.S.-Taiwan cyber amendment passes House in NDAA

Representative John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) issued the following statement on the House passage of his U.S.-Taiwan cybersecurity collaboration legislation, which was included as an amendment in the FY 2020 NDAA:

“The United States’ relationship with Taiwan is an indispensable component in our efforts to maintain peace and stability in Asia and across the globe. And in today’s digital age, this relationship should include a strong and robust partnership on cybersecurity. Over the past few years, China has clearly demonstrated its capability and willingness to conduct cyber-attacks against our country, such as the state-sponsored economic espionage that led to the indictment of Beijing-linked hackers last year.

“On top of implementing strict retaliatory measures to deter this malicious behavior, we should work proactively with our allies to establish preventative defense plans that leverage cybersecurity sharing strategies. Taiwan is uniquely positioned to partner with us on our efforts to combat cyber-attacks, and this amendment will help us move closer to enhancing our collaboration in this space, so that we stay ahead of our adversaries.”

Background: Ratcliffe’s U.S.-Taiwan cybersecurity legislation requires the Department of Defense to provide a report looking into the feasibility of establishing a high-level, interagency U.S.-Taiwan working group for coordinating responses to emerging issues related to cybersecurity. It seeks to strengthen the US-Taiwan cyber partnership, especially in our efforts to combat foreign adversaries.

Submitted press release by Rachel Stephens, Communications Director, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News.

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