Rep. Moore introduces legislation to deter Chinese aggression towards Taiwan

"As I have traveled across Utah’s First Congressional District, the message I have heard from community and business leaders alike is that these programs simply work," Rep. Moore said. Photo: Rep. Blake Moore

WASHINGTON – Representative Blake Moore, who represents parts of Summit County in the U.S. House of Representatives, recently introduced a bicameral piece of legislation intended to prevent a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

The legislation, named the Deterring Economic Aggression Through Retaliation (DETER) Act was also introduced in the Senate by Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma.

Moore’s introduction of the bicameral legislation, the DETER Act, to prevent a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, holds significance for Utah residents due to its potential economic impact and implications for national security. The act, which proposes revoking China’s PNTR status with the U.S. in response to military aggression or economic coercion against Taiwan, could affect trade relations and potentially safeguard American interests in the face of geopolitical tensions.

Rep. Moore’s legislation suggests revoking China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status with the U.S. if China engages in military aggression or significant economic coercion, like a blockade, that infringes on Taiwan’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.

Countries with PNTR status with the U.S. enjoy ‘most favored nation’ treatment under U.S. trade law, granting them preferential access to the U.S. market with reduced tariff barriers. Revoking this status would increase tariffs and barriers for Chinese exports to the U.S.

“There are times for unpredictability in matters of foreign policy and there are times for telling our adversaries what the consequences of their actions would look like,” Rep. Moore said. “Xi Jinping has openly stated that he aims to conquer and ‘reunify’ Taiwan and has built up China’s military posture for this very purpose.”

The DETER Act aims to show the repercussions China would face for military aggression against Taiwan, with Rep. Moore hoping this will prevent potential conflict in the region.

“A crisis in the Taiwan Strait, in which China breaks the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific and chokes off international trade and critical materials, would be catastrophic for American families, jobs, and livelihoods.”

“Senator Lankford and I believe that we need to send Communist China a clear message that changes their calculus and prevents an invasion. I am proud to use my position on the House Ways and Means Committee to advance U.S. national security through trade policy,” Rep. Moore added.

This bill was initially referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all foreign trade and revenue-raising measures in the House of Representatives, a committee Rep. Moore sits on.

“The DETER Act will leverage China’s access to the American market to deter further aggression and allow the US to immediately act in the event Beijing invades Taiwan. We must not wait until a war has started—we must act now to put China on notice and ultimately deter the CCP from invading Taiwan,” Sen. Lankford explained.