US announces historic $345 million military aid package for Taiwan
U.S. announces historic $345 million military aid package for Taiwan, weapons systems to come from existing U.S. military stockpiles. Brisbane, Australia -- The United States has announced a historic $345 million military aid package for Taiwan which for the first time will come from existing U.S. military stockpiles instead of purchases through the foreign military sales program, the White House announced Friday. The announcement is a lesson learned from the U.S. military assistance to Ukraine where U.S.-made weapons are quickly getting to the battleground, but it will also likely rile China -- which considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province. The Pentagon has signaled for much of the year that it intended to prepare such a passage after Congress authorized $1 billion for military aid to be provided to Taiwan under what is known as a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). The $345 million aid package was announced by the White House in a brief statement issued late Friday afternoon. ...