Current:Home > ScamsUS OKs military aid to Taiwan under program usually reserved for sovereign nations-LoTradeCoin
US OKs military aid to Taiwan under program usually reserved for sovereign nations
View Date:2024-12-23 23:33:58
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has approved the first-ever U.S. military transfer to Taiwan under a program generally reserved for assistance to sovereign, independent states.
The State Department notified Congress of the sale on Wednesday. It said the material would “be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability.”
The package is modest — only $80 million of what Congress had set aside as a potential $2 billion — but the implications of using the so-called Foreign Military Financing program to provide it will likely infuriate China.
Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province, has repeatedly not ruled out the use of force to reunite it with the mainland and vociferously protests all U.S. arms sales to the self-governing island.
However, previous arms sales to Taiwan have been approved under other authorities that do not necessarily imply statehood. U.S. officials were quick to say that the provision of FMF funding to Taiwan did not represent a change in policy. It’s a position the Chinese are sure to disagree with.
The only other time the U.S. has provided a non-nation-state with military assistance under FMF was to the African Union, an organization of sovereign states based in Ethiopia, according to American officials.
The notification, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, did not specify what military equipment or systems would be paid for under FMF, which commits U.S. taxpayer dollars to pay for the supply of materiel to foreign countries.
But, it said items that could be covered would include: air and coastal defense systems, armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, drones, ballistic missile and cyber defenses, and advanced communications equipment. It added that protective gear, an array of small, medium and heavy weapons systems, ammunition, armored and infantry fighting vehicles could also be included.
In addition to equipment, FMF may also be used to support training for Taiwanese military forces.
veryGood! (878)
Related
- NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Bobby Allison dies at 86
- Katie Ledecky makes more Olympic history and has another major milestone in her sights
- Ground cinnamon products added to FDA health alert, now 16 with elevated levels of lead
- Death of a Black man pinned down by security guards outside a Milwaukee hotel is ruled a homicide
- John Krasinski is People's Sexiest Man Alive. What that says about us.
- Hyundai recalls nearly 50,000 of its newer models for airbag issues
- Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Last Weekend to Shop: Snag the 40 Best Deals Before They Sell Out
- Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick's Son James Wilkie Shares Rare Photo of Family in Paris
- Former West Virginia jail officer pleads guilty to civil rights violation in fatal assault on inmate
- Italian boxer expresses regret for not shaking Imane Khelif's hand after their Olympic bout
Ranking
- Why Josh O'Connor Calls Sex Scenes Least Sexy Thing After Challengers With Zendaya and Mike Faist
- Lionel Messi's ankle injury improves. Will he play Inter Miami's next Leagues Cup game?
- Analysis: Donald Trump questioning Kamala Harris’ race shows he doesn’t understand code-switching
- U.S. employers likely added 175,000 jobs in July as labor market cools gradually
- Georgia public universities and colleges see enrollment rise by 6%
- The Chesapeake Bay Bridge was briefly closed when a nearby ship had a steering problem
- Mama June Shannon's Daughter Lauryn Pumpkin Efird and Husband Josh Break Up After 6 Years of Marriage
- Police K-9 dies from heat exhaustion in patrol car after air conditioning failure
Recommendation
-
Who will be in the top 12? Our College Football Playoff ranking projection
-
Oversized & Relaxed T-Shirts That Are Surprisingly Flattering, According to Reviewers
-
Take an Extra 50% Off J.Crew Sale Styles, 50% Off Quay Sunglasses, 30% Off North Face & the Best Deals
-
Periodic flooding hurts Mississippi. But could mitigation there hurt downstream in Louisiana?
-
Everard Burke Introduce
-
US equestrian jumping team made last-minute lineup change, and won Olympic silver — again
-
Did Katie Ledecky win? How she finished in 800 freestyle
-
Everything You Need to Get Through the August 2024 Mercury Retrograde