Biden approved $571 million in military aid to Taiwan

According to RCO News Agency, the United States does not officially recognize Taiwan diplomatically, but is a strategic ally of the self-governing island and its largest arms supplier.

China, which has increased political and military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, has repeatedly asked Washington to stop sending weapons and aid to the island it claims.

Taiwanese officials said China recently held its largest naval exercise in years, with about 90 ships deployed from near Japan’s southern islands to the South China Sea. Beijing did not approve the exercise.

The White House announced in a short statement that US President Joe Biden has authorized the withdrawal of $571.3 million from the Ministry of Defense and Military Training’s military items and services to aid Taiwan.

The statement did not provide details of the military aid package. Less than three months ago, a license for a similar package worth 567 million dollars was issued.

Taiwan received 38 Abrams advanced battle tanks from the United States earlier this week, reportedly the self-ruled island’s first new tanks in 30 years.

On Saturday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense thanked the United States for its “firm security commitment.” “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.

It said it would not comment on the content of Washington’s aid “based on an implicit agreement between Taiwan and the United States.”

Beijing has regularly expressed anger at international support for Taipei and accuses Washington of interfering in its affairs. China has an almost daily presence of its fighter jets, drones and warships around this island.

Beijing has said it will never back down from using force to take control of Taiwan, and has also increased its rhetoric about the inevitability of unification.

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