US President Joe Biden approved $571.3 million in defence assistance for Taiwan, as announced by the White House on Friday. The State department also gave approval for a potential military equipment sale worth $265 million to the island.
The White House statement indicated that Biden authorised the secretary of state “to direct the drawdown of up to $571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan.”
The statement did not provide details of the military assistance package, which comes less than three months after a similar package worth $567 million was authorised.
The Pentagon said that the State Department has approved a potential $265 million sale to Taiwan for command, control, communications, and computer modernisation equipment.
Despite having no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, the United States is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities, a stance that consistently draws Beijing’s ire. Taiwan, operating under democratic governance, dismisses China’s sovereignty claims.
China has intensified its military activities near Taiwan, conducting daily operations and two military exercises this year, according to reports.
Last week, Taiwan heightened its alert status in response to what it described as China’s largest concentration of naval forces in thirty years around Taiwan and neighbouring seas.
Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed that the purchase would enhance its command-and-control systems.
The ministry said on Saturday said that the US had approved the sale of $30 million worth of parts for 76 mm autocannons, a move aimed at bolstering the island’s ability to counter China’s “grey-zone” warfare tactics.
The ministry of national defence thanked the United States for “its firm security commitment to Taiwan,” indicating continued bilateral cooperation on security matters to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait.
“Taiwan and the United States will continue to cooperate closely on security issues to maintain peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” the ministry said in a statement.
They declined to elaborate on the “content” of aid ” based on the tacit agreement between Taiwan and the United States.”
