The Government of the President of the United States, Joe Bidenplans to send $500 million in aid for arms acquisition to Taiwan using the same emergency decree that has been used dozens of times with Ukraine, he told the news agency on Friday Reuters a source familiar with the plan.
As part of the 2023 budget, Congress approved up to $1 billion in arms aid for Taiwan using the Presidential Withdrawal Authority (PDA), a type of order that streamlines security support and has allowed weapons to be shipped to Ukraine.
This measure, which authorizes the president to transfer items and services from US reserves without congressional approval during an emergency, is the first of its kind for $1 billion.
China it regards Taiwan, which has a democratic government, as its own territory and has increased military pressure on the island in the past three years. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control.
Last month, China hosted military exercises around Taiwan after the president of the territory, Tsai Ing-wen, met with the head of the United States House of Representatives, kevin mccarthyin Los Angeles.
In February, the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austintestified before the Senate Armed Services Committee stating that he intended to use emergency authority, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday.
The spokesman declined to comment on whether the US was already authorizing the $500 million aid package.
“Our approach remains consistent with long-standing US policy (…) We are working hard to meet our obligations under the TRA (Taiwan Relations Act), and we will continue to do so,” the spokesperson said.
Since 1979, the relationship between the United States and Taiwan has been governed by the TRAwhich provides a legal basis for giving the territory the means to defend itself, but does not require Washington to come to its aid if attacked.
It was unclear what would be included in the aid program for Taiwan, which was first reported by the news service. Bloomberg. The date is also unknown.
(With information from Reuters)
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