United States Provides $80 Million in Military Financing to Taiwan: A Game Changer in US-Taiwan Relations

2023-11-06 12:51:40

USAPresidentBidenRecently, it was approved to provide Taiwan with US$80 million in military financing to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) pointed out that this is the first time in 40 years that the United States has used taxpayers’ money to aid Taiwan.

The BBC reported that to ordinary observers, this does not seem to be a huge amount, and the amount is not enough to purchase a modern fighter jet. Moreover, Taiwan’s arms purchases from the United States have exceeded US$14 billion. Is the paltry US$80 million more important?

The report pointed out that Beijing’s usual reaction to any military aid to Taiwan is nothing but anger and dissatisfaction, but this time the situation is different.

The BBC pointed out that the $80 million was not a loan, but money from American taxpayers. This was the first time in more than 40 years that the United States used its own money to deliver weapons to an unofficially recognized region. The move is under a program called foreign military finance.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion last FebruaryUkraineSince then, the United States has used this foreign military financing program to ship approximately $4 billion in military aid to Kyiv.

The report also pointed out that this plan has been used to provide billions of dollars in aid to countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and Egypt. But so far, the aid targets have only been countries or organizations recognized by the United Nations.

Since the United States established diplomatic relations with China in 1979, it has continued to sell arms to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act. The key is to sell Taiwan enough weapons to defend itself once morest Chinese attacks without jeopardizing relations between Washington and Beijing.

Over the past few decades, the United States has used this so-called strategic ambiguity policy to still play the role of a staunch ally of Taiwan while dealing with China.

However, in the past 10 years, the military balance in the Taiwan Strait has clearly tilted in favor of China. The old model no longer applies. Although Washington insists its policy has not changed, it has in key respects. The U.S. State Department swiftly denied providing Taiwan with foreign military financing, implying any recognition of Taiwan.

According to the BBC report, the United States is clearly redefining its relationship with Taiwan. In particular, Washington is actively promoting Taiwan’s rearmament, and Taiwan, whose military strength is far inferior to China’s, does need assistance.

Lai Yizhong, CEO of the think tank Vision Foundation, told the BBC that arms sales often take up to 10 years. “But through foreign military financing, the United States delivers weapons directly from its inventory and uses its own money, so we don’t have to go through all the hoops.” approval process”.

This is important given that U.S. lawmakers are divided over financial aid to Ukraine, with billions of dollars worth of financial aid to Ukraine being withheld, even though Taiwan appears to have more bipartisan support in the United States.

The BBC reported that, just like the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza will undoubtedly crowd out the U.S.’s arms supply to Taiwan. Biden is seeking aid to Ukraine and Israel, including more aid to Taiwan.

Lai Yizhong told the BBC that US military financing for Taiwan may be used for “Javelin” anti-tank missiles and “Stinger” anti-aircraft missiles, which are highly effective weapons that the military can quickly acquire.

Lai Yizhong said: “We don’t have enough quantity. We need a lot.” He further pointed out, “In Ukraine, needles are consumed quickly, and judging from the way they are used in Ukraine, we may urgently need 10 times the current inventory.”

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