U.S. prepares $500 million in aid to arm Taiwan
US President Joe Biden's administration plans to send $500 million in aid to Taiwan to arm the country, using the same emergency prerogative used more than 35 times for Ukraine, a source familiar with the plan said Friday, Agerpres reports.
The aid comes amid tensions between China and Taiwan. China considers Taiwan its own territory. Over the past three years, the Beijing government has stepped up military exercises near Taiwan and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control.
Last month, China staged war manoeuvres around Taiwan after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. It is unclear when the aid package for Taiwan will be granted and what it will include.
The $500m in aid will be the first of an authorised $1bn budget made available for Taiwan.
