The US administration, led by Joe Biden, approved Sunday (Sep 29) $567 million in defense support to Taiwan, the latest move by Washington to bolster the military on the island amid rising tensions with China.
Even though it maintains no formal diplomatic ties, the US is Taipei’s most important international backer and arms supplier ties. Beijing has repeatedly called on Washington to halt arms sales to Taipei.
President Joe Biden authorized in a statement the Secretary of State to ‘direct the drawdown of up to $567 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan.'”
That was the US assistance to Taiwan. Taipei had issued an alert after detecting “multiple waves” of missiles firing deep in inland China.
The Taiwanese defense ministry detected “multiple waves of firing” by China’s Rocket Force and army in the provinces and regions of Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang since 6.50 am local time on Saturday. All these provinces lie at least 2,000 kilometers from Taiwan.
Taiwan’s forces “are continually monitoring relevant developments, and air defense forces have been kept at a high level of vigilance and strengthened their alert,” the ministry said in a statement.
In another development, China said it conducted a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
China, which treats the democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up military and political pressure during the last five years as it presses claims that Taipei strongly rejects.
Taiwan cites a surge in renewed Chinese military activity around the island.
Last week, Taiwan raised the alarm over new waves of elevated Chinese military activity around the island and live-fire drills, blaming Beijing for policy instability that stood as a stern challenge to its neighbors, according to a report by news agency Reuters.
