US angers China: ok for military aid to Taiwan

Funding for the first transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan was approved by the Biden Administration as part of a program usually aimed at foreign governments. The package, which is part of the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, is valued at $80 million. The news will certainly arouse the ire of China, which considers Taiwan – a de facto independent island – a “rebel province” to be “reunified”. “The FMF will be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through a combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the department said in the notification to Congress, according to the document seen by CNN. .

“In line with the Taiwan Relations Act and our long-standing ‘one China’ policy, which has not changed, the US is providing Taiwan with necessary defense supplies and services to allow it to maintain a enough self-defense.” A department spokesman confirmed to CNN. The United States “has an enduring interest in peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to regional and global security and prosperity.”

In the past, the United States has sold weapons to Taiwan through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The value of the FMF package is modest compared to recent arms sales to the island, but it is the first to go to Taipei under the Overseas Military Financing Program. Congressional green light is taken for granted. And it will be the reason for further friction with Beijing.

Source: IL Tempo

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