In a first, US approves Taiwan military aid transfer under scheme reserved for sovereign nations

American officials quick to say US$80 million funding through Foreign Military Financing programme does not represent a change in official policy

Transfer of military equipment ‘to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities’ expected to infuriate China

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People photograph an approaching Taiwan C-130 Hercules aircraft at Songshan airport in Taipei on August 25. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 5:24am, 31 Aug 2023Updated: 8:05pm, 31 Aug 2023

In a deal that is relatively modest in size but potentially significant politically, the White House approved its first-ever transfer of military equipment to Taiwan under a programme normally reserved for helping sovereign independent nations.

Congress was notified of the US$80 million deal on Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said, speaking on background. The structure of the sale, using a provision known as Foreign Military Financing (FMF), was expected to anger China, which considers the self-governed island part of its territory.

“This is the first-ever FMF provision to Taiwan,” the spokesperson said. “The United States makes available to Taiwan defence articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defence capability.”

In its advisory, the administration of US President Joe Biden said the material would be used to “strengthen Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities through joint and combined defence capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability”, according to the Associated Press.

Previous military sales to Taiwan have been approved under other mechanisms that do not necessarily imply statehood. US officials said the funding provision did not represent a change in its one-China policy.

FMF is a “critical foreign policy tool” to ensure that “coalition partners and friendly foreign governments are equipped and trained to work toward common security goals”, according to the US Defense Department website.

Analysts said the deal is part of Washington’s evolving relationship with Taiwan as the US increasingly focuses on the Indo-Pacific region.