The Biden administration has approved funding for the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically saved for sovereign nations, according to a notification sent to Congress on Aug. 29.
The package – part of the State Department’s foreign military financing (FMF) program - totals $80M to Taiwan that will be paid by US taxpayers.
“Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act (America's) longstanding one China policy, which has not changed, the United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,” the a State Department spokesman told CNN.
The US has a vested interest in the stability of the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to regional and global security and prosperity, according to the spokesperson.
The development in US support for Taiwan has drawn an angry response from China, which claims the self-governing island as its own.
The US has sold weapons to Taiwan before under Foreign Military Sales. The FMF program provides grant assistance to Taiwan in order to make the purchases for such capabilities as air, coastal, ballistic missile and cyber defenses; plus, drones, military training, soldier protective gear and ammunition.
It likely will take years for the military support to actually get to Taiwan because the equipment will be folded into future equipment buys by the Pentagon.
Under the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act passed last year, the US is authorized to spend up to $2B annually in military grant assistance to the island from 2023-27. (CNN 08/31/23) US approves first-ever military aid to Taiwan through program typically used for sovereign nations | CNN Politics
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