Key Takeaways
- The President Joe Biden approved up to $345 million in defense aid to Taiwan.
- The aid aims to preserve stability in the Taiwan Strait amid strained US‑China ties.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken is authorized to oversee the drawdown and implementation of the assistance.
Washington: US President Joe Biden approved up to $345 million in defense aid to Taiwan, the president said in a memorandum to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority… to direct the drawdown of up to $345 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense.
Additionally, the memo includes military education and training to provide assistance to Taiwan, the memorandum said on Friday.
The Biden administration has repeatedly said that it seeks to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and remains committed to prior agreements between the United States and China regarding Taiwan.
However, the aid also comes amid a break in military-to-military contact between the United States and China.
