US approves $700mln. collective military aid package for Taiwan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
28 Mar 2024 16:13
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The US has allocated two military aid packages, valued at $700 million combined, to support Taiwan.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, right, poses for photos with Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., in Taipei, Taiwan on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP)

Days after the United States approved a $300 million military aid package for Taiwan, a bilateral congressional delegation vowed to further support the island.

The delegation, led by the chair of the House Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, Rep. Jack Bergman, affirmed that the United States will continue to support Taiwan and ensure its security and that of the region.

“This includes a strong Taiwan maritime strategy and how we can work together on shared goals to counter China on their increasingly aggressive actions in the region,” he added, during his meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai Ing-wen, in return, thanked the delegation and said this would bolster US-Taiwanese relations.

This also coincides with Congress allocating a $400 million package on Saturday, as part of the Defense Appropriations Act, to combat Chinese influence in the region.

Last week, Taipei confirmed the presence of US soldiers on its front-line islands with China across the Taiwan Strait, including one just a few kilometers away from China's southeast shores and over 150 km away from Taiwan's main island.

The deployment comes as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed in 2023 between Washington and Taipei, which permits US forces to be stationed on the island to provide training for Taiwanese forces.

China drops peaceful reunification

On its part, the Chinese Defense Ministry strongly condemned and rejected US arms sales to Taiwan.

Spokesperson Senior Col. Wu Qian said "We strongly demand that the U.S. side abide by the one-China principle, refrain from undermining China’s sovereignty and security interests, and not interfere in China’s internal affairs," at a monthly briefing in Beijing.

Earlier in March, Premier Li Qiang delivered an official report at the opening of the National People's Congress (NPC) revealing that China has boosted its national defense budget by 7.2%, a significant rise since President Xi Jinping doubled it when he took office 11 years ago, in constant efforts to fortify the nation as a result of the Taiwan issue.

The government report exhibited more robust language against Taiwan, and removed all notions of "peaceful reunification". This was not the first time China pulled a similar move, but a clear shift in tone could be regarded, signifying an increasingly firm stance toward Taiwan.