Military aid approved for Taiwan under program typically used for independent nations

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【Summary】President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer of up to $80 million to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. The FMF funds will be used to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and maritime security. This move, which does not indicate a change in U.S. policy, is expected to provoke Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.

FutureCar Staff Aug 30, 2023 5:10 PM PT

Military aid approved for Taiwan under program typically used for independent nations

The Biden administration has approved a military transfer to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, which is typically used for sovereign states. The State Department has notified Congress of its intention to allocate up to $80 million in FMF funds to support Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, enhance maritime domain awareness, and improve maritime security.

The Associated Press was the first to report on the notification regarding Taiwan. Representative Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed satisfaction with the administration's decision to provide FMF to Taiwan. McCaul believes that these weapons will not only benefit Taiwan but also protect other democracies in the region and strengthen the United States' deterrence posture against an increasingly aggressive Chinese Communist Party.

The FMF program, managed by the State Department, is the largest military assistance account. It primarily offers grant assistance to foreign governments for the purchase of U.S. defense equipment and military training through the Foreign Military Sales program.

A State Department official confirmed the notification to Congress and emphasized that the decision to provide FMF assistance to Taiwan does not signal a change in U.S. policy. However, this move is expected to provoke a negative reaction from Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and opposes any official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan. Taiwan, on the other hand, rejects China's sovereignty claims and asserts that only its people can determine their future.

In the past, China has expressed its dissatisfaction with U.S. military aid to Taiwan and called on the U.S. military to cease all forms of military collaboration with the island. As Taiwan's primary arms supplier, the United States recently announced a weapons aid package worth up to $345 million for Taiwan.

Source: REUTERS