US OKs First-Ever Defense Aid for Taiwan Under Sovereign State Finance Program
Print/Downloadhttps://sputnikglobe.com/20230831/us-oks-first-ever-defense-aid-for-taiwan-under-sovereign-state-finance-program-1113004246.html
Washington OKs Taiwan Aid Under Sovereign State Program as US-China Tensions Persist
Washington OKs Taiwan Aid Under Sovereign State Program as US-China Tensions Persist
US Rep. Michael McCaul applauded the Biden White House announcing aid for Taiwan that for the first time ever will come through Foreign Military Financing, a program reserved for sovereign states or international organizations.
2023-08-31T00:25+0000
2023-08-31T00:25+0000
2023-08-31T07:25+0000
military
us
taiwan
china
foreign military sales (fms)
/html/head/meta[@name=’og:title’]/@content
/html/head/meta[@name=’og:description’]/@content
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/08/1f/1113011235_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_05bad5460b91efef831a0afb7264e0ce.jpg
Washington has okayed a military aid to Taipei under a program typically used for sovereign states, in a move that will almost certain anger China and add to further militarization of Taiwan.The Biden administration’s notification, which was seen by a UK news agency, briefed congressional committees on the State Department’s decision to commit about $80 million to Taiwan within the framework of the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program.Beijing, which perceives Taiwan as an essential part of China, has not commented on the matter yet, while the Taiwanese Defense Ministry expressed its thanks, but added that they had no comment on the details of the FMF aid.The developments come a week after the State Department approved $500 million worth of F-16 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems and related equipment to Taiwan. This was preceded by the US announcing a Taiwan weapons aid package worth up to $345 million last month.US-China Tensions Tensions over Taiwan significantly increased last August after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taipei despite Beijing’s warnings against such a visit.China condemned Pelosi’s trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island.The PRC, which opposes any official contacts between the island and other countries, earlier pledged to promote the process of China’s “peaceful reunification” with the island. Chinese President Xi Jinping for his part promised that his country would focus on “peaceful development of relations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait” and resist outside interference and separatism. He previously assured that Beijing “firmly adheres to an independent and peaceful foreign policy.”
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230801/us-uses-taiwan-as-eternal-pawn-in-foreign-policy-games-against-china-1112317009.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230804/new-taiwan-arms-deal-us-dead-set-on-provoking-war-with-china-1112391222.html
taiwan
china
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
2023
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
taiwan, us-taiwan ties, us military sale, us house foreign affairs committee chairman michael mccaul, biden white house, foreign military financing
taiwan, us-taiwan ties, us military sale, us house foreign affairs committee chairman michael mccaul, biden white house, foreign military financing
00:25 GMT 31.08.2023 (Updated: 07:25 GMT 31.08.2023)
Beijing has repeatedly berated Washington for pumping Taipei with weapons, something that is seen by the PRC as a gross violation of Chinese sovereignty.
Washington has okayed a military aid to Taipei under a program typically used for sovereign states, in a move that will almost certain anger China and add to further militarization of Taiwan.
The Biden administration’s notification, which was seen by a UK news agency, briefed congressional committees on the State Department’s decision to commit about $80 million to Taiwan within the framework of the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program.
“FMF will be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the notification reportedly read.
Beijing, which perceives Taiwan as an essential part of China, has not commented on the matter yet, while the Taiwanese Defense Ministry expressed its thanks, but added that they had no comment on the details of the FMF aid.
The developments come a week after the State Department approved $500 million worth of F-16 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems and related equipment to Taiwan. This was preceded by the US announcing a Taiwan weapons aid package worth up to $345 million last month.
US-China Tensions
Tensions over Taiwan significantly increased last August after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taipei despite Beijing’s warnings against such a visit.
China condemned Pelosi’s trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island.
Although the US does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Washington has a representative office in Taipei and remains the island’s biggest supplier of military hardware. The US also often sends its warships and surveillance planes to the Taiwan Strait, with Beijing slamming such missions as provocations and insisting that Washington is nothing but “a security risk creator in the region.”
The PRC, which opposes any official contacts between the island and other countries, earlier pledged to promote the process of China’s “peaceful reunification” with the island.
Chinese President Xi Jinping for his part promised that his country would focus on “peaceful development of relations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait” and resist outside interference and separatism. He previously assured that Beijing “firmly adheres to an independent and peaceful foreign policy.”
