Taiwan

Biden Admin. Approves $180M in Military Aid for Taiwan

Published DEC 29 2022

Story

Image credit: US Army Reserve [via Newsweek]

The Facts

The US Dept. of State on Wednesday approved the sale of a $180M military package to Taiwan, including Volcano anti-tank systems, cargo trucks, ammunition, and logistics support packages.
The Defense Post
The Volcano can disperse anti-armor and anti-personnel mines over a large area within minutes. The package also includes dummy and test rounds for the M87A1 anti-tank system, as well as cargo trucks on which it's mounted.
Newsweek
The systems would serve as one level of Taiwan's defense, including placing naval mines in the Taiwan Strait ahead of an invasion. They would likely be deployed to the few beaches suitable for an amphibious landing.
Newsweek
Taiwan's defense ministry said the sale would take effect in roughly a month and will help boost its asymmetric warfare capacity amid China's increased military activities, which Taipei views as a severe military threat.
Al Arabiya English
The sale, which the State Dept. says "serves US national, economic, and security interests," comes amid a long history of US military support to the island under the Taiwan Relations Act. The Biden Admin. in September approved more than $1.1B in weapons such as anti-ship and air-to-air missiles.
CNN
The PRC has been applying geopolitical, economic, and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan — including air force missions near the island over the last three years.
Al Jazeera

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The United State's recent push to provide defensive military aid to Taiwan is an effort to prevent China from even attempting an invasion in the first place. China seems to only be ramping up both its military capabilities and aggressive rhetoric toward the island. Taiwan must begin taking faster steps toward completing its asymmetric defense strategy to defend itself from aggression antithetical to a rules-based order.

wsj

Establishment-critical narrative

After decades of non-interference policies beginning under the Carter and Nixon administrations, recent US presidents have betrayed the "one China" policy. Even before Nancy Pelosi's reckless trip to the island — in which she was escorted by warships and aircraft carriers — the Biden admin. pondered expensive military-industrial complex weapons packages for Taipei. This is a recipe for unnecessary war and a gross waste of taxpayer funds.

Socialist Project