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U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized a $571.3 million defense assistance package for Taiwan, the White House announced Friday, marking another significant military support move for the self-ruled island as Biden nears the end of his term.
The package, which includes defense articles, services, and military training, underscores Washington’s ongoing commitment to Taiwan, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition. This comes less than three months after a similar $567 million aid package was approved.
Taiwan, a democratic island China claims as its territory, has faced mounting political and military pressure from Beijing in recent years. Last week, Taiwanese officials reported that China conducted its largest maritime drills in years, deploying around 90 ships across a vast area stretching from the southern Japanese islands to the South China Sea. Beijing has not officially confirmed the drills.
China’s aggressive stance includes near-daily military operations involving fighter jets, drones, and warships encircling Taiwan. Beijing has consistently called on Washington to halt arms sales and military assistance to the island, accusing the U.S. of meddling in its internal affairs.
On Saturday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense expressed gratitude for the U.S. support, reaffirming the strength of bilateral security cooperation.
“Taiwan and the United States will continue to work closely on security issues to maintain peace, stability, and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” the ministry said in a statement. It declined to provide details of the latest assistance package, citing a mutual understanding between the two allies.
Earlier this week, Taiwan received 38 advanced Abrams battle tanks from the U.S., marking its first acquisition of new tanks in three decades.
China has repeatedly condemned U.S. arms support for Taiwan and heightened its rhetoric about the island’s “inevitable” unification with the mainland. Beijing has vowed not to renounce the use of force in achieving this goal.
A recent Pentagon report noted that China has “amplified” its diplomatic, political, and military pressure on Taiwan in 2023, further raising concerns about stability in the region.
The latest U.S. defense aid comes at a critical juncture, with Biden preparing to leave office ahead of Donald Trump’s January inauguration. As tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait, Washington’s strategic support for Taiwan remains a key pillar of its Indo-Pacific policy, drawing sharp criticism from Beijing.
With this continued military backing, Taiwan aims to bolster its defenses amid growing threats, while the U.S. seeks to reaffirm its role as a key ally in maintaining peace and stability across the region.
English (US) ·