US grants 500 million in military aid to Taiwan

US grants $500 million in military aid to Taiwan

Military aid to Taiwan is viewed by China as a breach of contract since the island is part of Chinese territory.

US President Joe Biden on a visit to California14.03.2023

Portal U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration plans to send $500 million in arms aid to Taiwan using the same emergency agency that has been used more than 35 times for Ukraine, a source familiar with the plan said on Friday ( 5).

As part of the 2023 budget, Congress approved an allocation of up to $1 billion in weapons aid.

The withdrawal, which authorizes the president to transfer items and services from US stores without congressional approval in an emergency, would be the first of that $1 billion authorization.

China regards Taiwan as its own territory. Last month, China held military exercises in Taiwan after the island’s official Tsai Ingwen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

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In February, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that he intends to seize the president’s drafting authority, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. The spokesman declined to comment on whether the US is moving forward with the $500 million aid package.