US approves first arms to Taiwan under foreign aid program

The move to advance aid under a mechanism used to extend grants or loans to sovereign countries is sure to anger China.

A Taiwanese air force pilot inspects a missile on his aircfat. Picture: AFP

President Joe Biden’s administration has for the first time approved direct US military aid to Taiwan under an assistance program aimed at foreign governments, as worries grow over China.

The State Department ­informed congress on Tuesday of the $US80m ($123m) package, which is small compared with ­recent sales to Taiwan but marks the first assistance to Taipei under the Foreign Military Financing program, which generally involves grants or loans to sovereign countries. The move is sure to anger China. For five decades, the US has officially recognised only Beijing although congress, under the Taiwan Relations Act, requires the supply of weapons to the democracy for its defence.

Successive US administrations have done so through sales rather than direct aid to Taiwan, with formal statements speaking in the tone of business transactions with the island’s de-facto embassy in Washington.

The State Department insisted that the first aid under the program did not imply any recognition of sovereignty of Taiwan.

“Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and our longstanding One China policy, which has not changed, the US makes available to Taiwan ­defence articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defence capability,” a spokesman said. “The US has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to regional and global security and prosperity.”

Taiwan’s defence ministry ­expressed gratitude. “The aid will help in regional peace and ­stability,” it said. The State ­Department did not give details of the aid, but a person familiar with the notice said the assistance would involve support to improve awareness at sea. The assistance needs approval from congress, which is virtually certain as both parties support Taiwan.

China and the US in recent months have resumed dialogue with hopes of bringing greater stability to the turbulent relationship between the world’s largest developed and developing nations.

But Taiwan remains a clear point of friction, with Chinese officials repeatedly issuing warnings and viewing the US as bent on supporting formal independence by the island. China has carried out major military exercises three times in little more than a year in response to Taiwanese leaders’ ­interactions with the US, raising the prospect it is practising moves for an invasion. Senior US officials have said they believe Chinese President Xi Jinping is taking steps away from the status quo on Taiwan.

It is the second time in as many months the Biden administration has broken new ground in supporting Taiwan. In July, Mr Biden approved $US345m of military aid to Taiwan from leftover US stockpiles.

Israel is the top recipient of Foreign Military Financing, to the tune of more than $US3bn a year.

AFP