The White House on Friday announced a $345 million military aid package for Taiwan, marking a significant escalation in US support for the island.
The US has sold weapons to Taiwan since Washington severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979 but has never financed the purchases or provided arms free of charge.
The $345 million weapons package is being provided through the presidential drawdown authority, the primary way the US has been arming Ukraine. The authority allows President Biden to send weapons directly from US military stockpiles.
The White House said the $345 million includes “defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan.”
The Biden administration did not announce publicly what weapons it was sending to Taiwan, but unnamed US officials speaking to AP said it would include man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), firearms, missiles, and intelligence and surveillance capabilities.
US officials previously told Reuters that the package was expected to include MQ-9 Reaper drones, but it’s not clear if they are being provided. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry thanked the US for the weapons but also did not detail the contents of the arms package.
The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized $1 billion in PDA for Taiwan, and this marks the first time the administration has drawn from those funds. The move drew a rebuke from Beijing, which is opposed to all US military support for Taiwan.
A spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington said Beijing was “firmly opposed” to military ties between the US and Taiwan. He called on the US to “stop creating new factors that could stoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
China hawks in Congress argue that the US needs to arm Taiwan “to the teeth” to deter Beijing from attacking the island. But China’s actions make clear that the more the US increases support for Taiwan, the more military pressure the island will face.
When President Biden signed the 2023 NDAA into law, which included the PDA and other aid for Taiwan, China launched major military drills around Taiwan directly in response.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement Saturday that said the new US military aid for Taiwan was turning the island into a “powder keg” and said it wouldn’t stop Beijing’s goal of “reunification.” China’s policy is that it seeks peaceful reunification but won’t rule out the use of force.
“No matter how much of the ordinary people’s taxpayer money the … Taiwanese separatist forces spend, no matter how many US weapons, it will not shake our resolve to solve the Taiwan problem. Or shake our firm will to realize the reunification of our motherland,” said Chen Binhua, the office’s spokesman.
“Their actions are turning Taiwan into a powder keg and ammunition depot, aggravating the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait,” Chen added.
More taxpayer money to create more warzones around the planet. Biden is the worst of the neocons and a betrayal to many who voted for him.
Yep, no money for us on Main Street.
I just can’t wrap my head around anyone feeling betrayed by Biden. Is so, they haven’t been living on this planet for the last 40+ years. And at 82, he’ll get another 70 or 80 million votes. Hard to think that could be possible. And people talk about revolution?
I agree with your first sentence. I am disappointed at how disastrous he has been, and at how laser focused he has been on military matters
Not a sense of betrayal. I voted for him due to pressure from Biden democrats and figured he would not be so bad. I will not repeat that mistake even if DeSantis us the republican nominee.
Democrats have made it clear that they do not care about the plight of Woke Americans. It is up to us.
A revolution would have to involve honest politicians and informed active and caring voters not robots.We don’t have that now yet.
Russia ‘Ready’ For Clash With US Over Syrian Skies, Putin Says.
Robots, they have to be robots. Maybe they are human being exhibiting robotic behavior… Whatever!
There are no words to name the scum government has turned into.
Yes there are and most of them have four letters but not all. I could probably think of a decent list if asked nicely.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d5a5eae280e6c2bd23780fbffd2132093e116bad4cd3fd6be414d4bd58b8d3a0.jpg
And, what do the American people have to show for it except American blood and trillions of dollars in debt. America is a failed state if 39 trillion is the debt we’re currently holding and the interest goes up every second.
Not to mention death,disease,poverty crime,drugs gambling pornography the staples of our culture.
That’s just Federal debt. State debt in another $4 trillion. Corporate debt is $29 trillion. Another $14 Trillion is personal debt.
And none of the above includes unfunded federal and state liabilities.
Roman, Ottoman,British empires eventually became failed entities. Just a matter of time before the DC empire collapses
But, they didn’t have H bombs. Wash. empire will go out with a flash and a bang.
It is a hell of a fucking list when you see it in black and white.The arsenal of Democracy takes on new meaning.
And not one country attacked, bombed, sabotaged or attempted to overthrow the American government and nation.
Now, President Biden, with the support of the whole neocon congress is attempting a coup against a popular elected Russian President and the break up of the nuclear Russian Federation, using and annihilating the proxy Ukraine to pay to get his way.
Washington has become the breeding ground of a pack of war criminals, the demented president in the lead. They are morally the modern day Nazis.
The plate is full, yet they are piling China on top of it all.
It is just a rerun of the shit they have been pulling for a long time. Except this time they may have picked the wrong victims
With all the profits the MIC RAKED IN, THEY STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH.
Once the rest of the world dumps the petrodollar all those billions they’ve made will be down the toilet. It can’t happen soon enough.
TC,does that mean all of our money will be shitty?
The fucking world is not enough
Yes, now there’s a Space Force.
That would have a tendency to piss off any Extra Terrestials.
And the Good Humor man as well right here on earth.
I can still hear the truck coming down the street.
If there are alien they will not be happy.
It’s our responsibility to pay for this?
Why are not the Taiwanese cutting us a check if they want this?
Because they get it for FREE. Why pay when no bill is presented? Beyond belief.
Cheap overseas produced goods like Taiwan’s microprocessor chips do have costs that aren’t part of the sticker price.
The more dependent one is the more the hidden costs rises.
Do the Taiwanese know they want to go to war against mainland China? How many CIA agents are working in Taiwan, will they fund the upcoming demonstrations?
How much does funding the CIA cost the state department? How many of the diplomats in embassies are covert CIA agents with diplomatic privilege’?
There is a certain redundancy to your line of questioning yet the questions are entirely relevant.
Some people need repetition since the collective IQ in America has gone down substantially these past few years.
The truth is that it never had very far too go,witness the idiots and morons that we keep electing.Case closed.
It did not have far to go
These are all wonderful questions. I am not holding my breath til we get answers.
I think the funding of the CIA is a big, deep, dark secret. My guess is that it is funded with drug money, sex trafficking money, gun running money, and several other evil enterprises.
And the wheel keeps turning but they never heard a word I said. Sung by the Grateful Dead lon ago but very appropriate here and now.
“By the authority vested in me as president … I hereby delegate to the secretary of state the authority … to direct the drawdown of up to US$345 million in defence articles and services … and military education and training, to … Taiwan,” Joe Biden said on Friday.
Take five. Finally got “Taiwan” right.
In only 3 years, Biden has managed to start a major war against Russia and is doing everything in his power to do start another one against China.
The good news is that the people of Taiwan are watching what Biden has done to Ukraine. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to realize that he is trying to do the same thing to Taiwan. So, I hold out hope that the DPP party will be dumped at 2024 election.
Zelensky met President Biden first time Sept. 1, 2021 after his inauguration, at the time of the Afghanistan withdrawal disaster, Dec. 2021 Biden turned down any diplomatic effort to meet with Russians.
“Biden turned down any diplomatic effort to meet with Russians.”
Wow — Vladimir Putin isn’t a Russian? Who knew?
It got blocked on this site. They’re coming for us. See you in Camp Blinken soon. “Concentration Moon” by Zappa and the MOI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TePRNGdMPIw
Dumped for whom?
Wendell, we need a hero to step up; someone who is universally loved and admired and has enough capitol to initiate a campaign.
I had once suggested Bruce Springsteen but Mr. T disagreed.
Superman is a mythical person
Good Question. I’ll be voting Libertarian.
How much more do Americans have to pay to kill and destroy people and countries that are no threat to America?? How much more American blood needs to be spilled for that purpose?? How many more military bases around the world need to be built?? Seems the answer is there is no end to it all. There’s no hope that any election will change this evil policy since the uni-party in Wash. is in charge. Americans go about their business in complete apathy, disinterest and denial.
Lily, you better hope Russia and China stand their ground because if they fall it is all over for all of us that value freedom! USA Gov. is as evil as evil can be.
Truth.