Biden approves $571 million defense package for Taiwan
Taiwan earlier this week received a shipment of 38 Abrams tanks from the United States, which on Friday authorized another $571.3 million in defense assistance for the island. Photo: Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense/AFP
US President Joe Biden has authorized $571.3 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House announced, while the State Department approved a potential sale of $265 million worth of military equipment to the island.
Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority "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 White House said in a statement without providing details, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.Taiwan's defense ministry thanked the United States for its "firm security guarantee", saying in a statement the two sides would continue to work closely on security issues to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The 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.
The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing.
China has stepped up military pressure against Taiwan, including daily military activities near the island and two rounds of war games this year.
Taiwan went on alert last week in response to what it said was China's largest massing of naval forces in three decades around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.
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