The White House announced Friday that US President Joe Biden authorised $571.3 million in defence aid for Taiwan, as the Democrat gets ready to step down before Donald Trump takes office in January.
Although it does not formally recognise Taiwan internationally, the US is the main supplier of armaments to the self-governing island and a strategic ally.
China, which has increased military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years, has demanded time and again that Washington stop providing aid and weapons to the island, which it controls.
Taiwanese officials reported that China conducted its largest maritime exercises last week in years, deploying over 90 ships from the South China Sea to the area around Japan’s southern islands.
Beijing did not confirm the drills.
“Biden approved the reduction “of up to $571.3 million in defence articles and services of the Department of Defence, and military education and training, to assist Taiwan,” according to a terse statement from the White House.
The military aid package, which comes less than three months after a comparable deal for $567 million was approved, was not described in the announcement.
The United States reportedly sent Taiwan 38 cutting-edge Abrams battle tanks earlier this week, the country’s first modern tank in 30 years.
“The Ministry of National Defence expressed gratitude to the US on Saturday for “its firm security commitment to Taiwan.
“To preserve peace, stability, and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan and the United States will continue to work closely on security issues,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Based on the tacit agreement between Taiwan and the United States,” it stated, it would not comment on the “content” of the assistance.
The international backing for Taipei has frequently angered Beijing, which has accused Washington of interfering in its internal affairs.
China constantly keeps warships, drones, and fighter jets on the island.
In addition to increasing its rhetoric about “unification” being “inevitable,” Beijing has stated that it will never give up using force to subjugate Taiwan.
According to a U.S. Pentagon report this week, China has “increased” its military, political, and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan in 2023.
