US approves $567m in military support for Taiwan

The support is the latest move by Washington to boost the self-ruled island’s military in the face of rising tensions with China.

United States President Joe Biden has approved $567m in new defence support for Taiwan, the White House has said.

In a brief statement on Sunday, the White House said Biden had delegated the secretary of state “to direct the drawdown of up to $567 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan”.

It provided no further details.

While the US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it is Taipei’s most significant international backer and arms supplier. China has repeatedly demanded Washington stop selling weapons to Taipei, which it claims as its territory.

In April, the US approved billions of dollars in military aid for Taiwan as China stepped up military and political pressure on the island. Beijing accuses Washington of meddling in its “internal affairs” with its support for the democratic island.

Taipei has complained of delayed US arms deliveries, including for upgraded F-14 fighter jets.

China has not renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, and has also ramped up rhetoric about “unification” being “inevitable”.

Taiwan rejects China’s claims and says the people of the island should be the ones to choose their future.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies