Washington prepares to announce new military aid to Taiwan

The United States is putting the finishing touches on new military assistance to Taiwan, which may be announced on Friday, a move that could upset Beijing during a period witnessing a renewed dialogue between the two countries, according to an anonymous US official.

The official stated that the new military aid, valued at around $340 million, will include surveillance and reconnaissance systems, ammunition, spare parts, and various military equipment.

The United States has been selling military equipment to Taiwan for years, but this new aid will come directly from existing US inventories, similar to what Washington has been doing with Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022.

In mid-May, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned that Washington was considering providing this type of assistance to Taiwan from US inventories, expressing hope for an "announcement soon" in this regard.

According to a law passed by the US Congress, up to $1 billion can be withdrawn from US inventories to equip the self-governing island, with the stated goal of deterring China's expansionist ambitions.

If confirmed, this aid announcement will come amid renewed dialogue between the United States and China, following a series of high-level visits to Beijing by American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

Beijing considers Taiwan, with a population of 23 million people, as a province it has yet to reunite with since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

However, China, which claims to prefer peaceful reunification with Taiwan, does not rule out the use of force to achieve its goal.

 

 

AFP