; (9) denial operations will have an essential role in any strategy to prevent a fait accompli by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan; and (10) implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) therefore requires the United States to maintain the ability to defeat a fait accompli by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan, especially by denial operations. 5. Statement of policy It shall be the policy of the United States to maintain the ability of the United States Armed Forces to deny a fait accompli by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan. 6. Report on progress of the Department of Defense with respect to denying a fait accompli by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan (a) In general Not later than April 30 each year, beginning in 2021 and ending in 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress of the Department of Defense with respect to improving the ability of the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to deny the ability of the People’s Republic of China to execute a fait accompli against Taiwan. (b) Matters To be included Each report under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) An explanation of the objectives for the United States Armed Forces that would be necessary to deny the fait accompli by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan. (2) An identification of joint warfighting capabilities and current efforts to organize, train, and equip the United States Armed Forces in support of the objectives referred to in paragraph (1), including— (A) an assessment of whether the programs included in the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code, are sufficient to enable the United States Armed Forces to conduct joint combined operations to achieve such objectives