The United States has approved direct military aid to Taiwan for the first time under a foreign government assistance program, officials said Wednesday (August 30th).
The State Department informed Congress on Tuesday of the granting of an envelope of 80 million dollars (73 million euros). A modest sum compared to its recent arms sales to Taiwan, but which would be the first to Taipei under the overseas military funding program. This announcement should anger Beijing.
If Washington recognizes China to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, the American Congress imposes at the same time to supply weapons to the autonomous democratic island, with the stated aim of dissuading Beijing from any expansionist desire. Successive US administrations have done this through sales rather than direct aid to Taiwan.
No recognition of sovereignty
The US State Department has stressed that this first-ever aid granted under this program does not imply any recognition of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
“In accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and our long-standing one-China policy, which has not changed, the United States is making available to Taiwan the [weapons] items and services of defenses necessary to enable it to maintain sufficient self-defense capability,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“The United States has an abiding interest [in maintaining] peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is essential for regional and global security and prosperity,” he said.
Beijing sees Taiwan, an island of 23 million people, as a province it has yet to reunite with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. China, which says it favors a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, however, does not exclude the use of force to achieve this.
