Calay News
The Biden administration has approved a $345 million weapons package for Taiwan, the first installment of a $1 billion total allocation from Pentagon stocks to the island this year. The move is likely to escalate tensions with China, despite recent efforts to rebuild relations. U.S. officials, including Antony Blinken and Janet Yellen, visited China, but issues such as U.S. support for Taiwan and Beijing’s spy program persist.
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, emphasized the seriousness of their commitment to enhancing Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. This marks the first time the U.S. uses new congressional authority to directly transfer military equipment from Pentagon inventory to Taiwan, following the Presidential Drawdown Authority, the same mechanism used for weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
Although the U.S. did not disclose the package’s contents to avoid upsetting China, an anonymous former DOD official revealed it includes MQ-9 Reaper drones and small arms ammunition. Taiwan has previously acquired Reapers, advanced missiles, fighter jets, and other high-value weapons from the U.S.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the U.S. has long supported Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through arms sales and close military cooperation. The island’s status has become a significant point of contention in U.S.-China relations as Beijing seeks reunification with Taiwan, with or without force.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed lawmakers in May about the upcoming presidential drawdown package for Taiwan, but its official announcement took additional weeks of work due to an “accounting error.” The mistake caused an overvaluation of aid to Ukraine by $6.2 billion and also adjusted the value of the Taiwan package, now estimated at over $300 million instead of the initial $500 million.
