The United States has revealed a $345 million military aid package for Taiwan, marking the Biden administration’s first significant initiative drawing from U.S. stockpiles to assist Taiwan in countering China.
This strategic decision includes defense, education, and training for Taiwan and consists of man-portable air defense systems, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms, and missiles, as two anonymous U.S. officials reported.
This move comes amidst growing pressure from U.S. lawmakers on the Pentagon and White House to speed up the weapons supply to Taiwan. The goal is to deter China by making an invasion prohibitively costly. China has publicly protested the decision, whereas Taiwan’s representative office in the U.S. praised it as “an important tool to support Taiwan’s self-defense.” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense also thanked the U.S. for its commitment to Taiwan’s security.
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The aid package is supplementary to nearly $19 billion in prior approved military sales, including F-16s and other major weapon systems. Unlike previous arrangements requiring new weapon production, this aid leverages a special presidential authority approved by Congress, allowing Taiwan access to current U.S. military stockpiles. This method accelerates the delivery process, similar to U.S. support for Ukraine.
The situation is fraught with historical tensions, given Taiwan’s split from China in 1949. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains the right to reclaim Taiwan by force if needed, and China has accused the U.S. of escalating tensions through its arms sales. While the U.S. maintains a “One China” policy that doesn’t recognize Taiwan’s independence, it is legally bound to defend Taiwan.
Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks emphasized the lessons learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the necessity of getting stockpiles to Taiwan now, rather than after conflict begins.
China’s consistent military aggression near Taiwan has added to tensions. Liu Pengyu, the spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said Beijing was “firmly opposed” to U.S. military ties with Taiwan and urged the U.S. to stop selling arms to Taiwan. The recent aid to Taiwan symbolizes the strategic interplay in regional politics, reflecting the delicate balance the U.S. is attempting to sustain amidst the complexities of international relations and security.
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