As concerns about China increase, the administration of President Joe Biden has for the first time authorized direct US military aid to Taiwan under a program intended to help foreign governments, officials said on Wednesday.
The $80 million package, which is modest in comparison to recent sales to Taiwan but represents the first aid to Taipei through the Foreign Military Financing program, which typically entails grants or loans to sovereign countries, was announced to Congress on Tuesday by the State Department.
The move is sure to anger China. For five decades, the United States has officially recognized only Beijing although Congress, under the Taiwan Relations Act, requires the supply of weapons to the self-governing democracy for its defense.
The State Department insisted that the first-ever aid under the program did not imply any recognition of the sovereignty of Taiwan.
The $80 million package, which is modest in comparison to recent sales to Taiwan but represents the first aid to Taipei through the Foreign Military Financing program, which typically entails grants or loans to sovereign countries, was announced to Congress on Tuesday by the State Department.
The move is sure to anger China. For five decades, the United States has officially recognized only Beijing although Congress, under the Taiwan Relations Act, requires the supply of weapons to the self-governing democracy for its defense.
The State Department insisted that the first-ever aid under the program did not imply any recognition of the sovereignty of Taiwan.
