Following the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate passed a package of “military aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, and a ban on TikTok” on the 23rd. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into effect on the 24th. In this regard, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said today (24th) that she was glad that the U.S. Congress passed a comprehensive foreign aid plan, which includes weapons support for Taiwan. However, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated that it requires the United States to stop arming Taiwan in any way.
The United States is Taiwan’s most important supporter and weapons supplier internationally, even though the two countries do not have formal diplomatic relations. China regards Taiwan as its territory and has repeatedly asked the United States to stop arms sales to Taiwan.
The U.S. Senate voted 79 to 18 on the 23rd to approve four package bills totaling $95 billion passed by the House of Representatives on the 20th, including providing assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and possibly banning short video sharing in the United States. Platform TikTok.
When President Tsai Ing-wen met with visiting U.S. congressmen at the Presidential Palace today, she pointed out, “We are very happy that the (U.S.) Senate has just passed these bills.”
But in Beijing, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office expressed anger at the bills that President Biden will sign on the 24th.
Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the bill violates the “one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and sends a wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces. China firmly opposes it. We urge the United States to take concrete actions to fulfill its commitment not to support Taiwan independence and stop using any way to arm Taiwan.”
Over the past four years, Taiwan has been dissatisfied with China’s intensified military activities near the Taiwan Strait, including Chinese fighter jets and warships carrying out missions almost every day to disrupt Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on the 21st that it would discuss with the United States how to use the new funds.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused manufacturers to focus on supplying weapons to Ukraine to help fight the invasion. Since 2022, weapons deliveries to Taiwan have been delayed, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
