Biden approves $571M in defense support for Taiwan

• President Joe Biden on Friday agreed to provide $571.3 million in defense aid to Taiwan, the White House said.
• The State Department has approved the potential sale of $265 million worth of military equipment to the island.
• This follows what Taiwan last week said was China’s largest naval buildup in three decades around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.

President Joe Biden on Friday agreed to provide $571.3 million in defense aid to Taiwan, the White House said, while the State Department approved the potential sale of $265 million worth of military equipment to the island.

The United States is required by law to provide The Chinese claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to Beijing’s continued anger.

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Democratic Taiwan rejects China’s claims of sovereignty.

China stepped up military pressure on Taiwanincluding daily military activities near the island and two rounds of war games this year.

President Joe Biden has agreed to provide $571.3 million in defense support to Taiwan on December 20, 2024, the White House said. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/photo)

Taiwan raised the alarm last week in response to what it said was China’s largest gathering of naval forces in three decades around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.

Biden delegated authority to the secretary of state “to direct the withdrawal of up to $571.3 million in Defense Department defense items and services, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan,” the White House said in a statement without providing details.

Taiwan’s defense ministry thanked the United States for its “firm security guarantee,” saying in a statement that the two sides would continue to work closely on security issues to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait.

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Pentagon said the State Department had approved the potential sale to Taiwan of about $265 million worth of command, control, communications and computer modernization equipment.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said the equipment sale would help upgrade its command and control systems.

Taiwan’s defense ministry also said on Saturday that the US government had approved $30 million worth of parts for 76mm automatic cannons, which it said would boost the island’s capacity to counter China’s “grey zone” warfare.