$95 Billion Foreign Military Aid Package to Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel & TikTok Faces “Divest-or-Ban”
On April 24, President Biden signed into law a $95 billion foreign military aid package that would provide necessary military financing and arms to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The House had passed the package as four separate bills, including one bill requiring TikTok to “divest or be banned.” After their passage, the four bills were consolidated into one bill and forwarded to the Senate.
The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) believes that providing Taiwan with the wherewithal to defend itself is critical to deterring Beijing’s aggression and protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence.
Referring to the military aid package to Taiwan, FAPA Executive Director Chiao-Yun Anny Hsiao remarked, “We Taiwanese Americans wholeheartedly welcome and thank both houses of Congress and the President for their willingness to invest in American capabilities to ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As a key partner of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan must remain free, sovereign, and independent.”
Hsiao also noted regarding TikTok, “We should be cognizant of the threats that TikTok, in its current form, imposes on our national security. The Chinese Communist Party can capitalize on data from American users, and information that young Americans consume is manipulated in some way to favor Beijing’s propaganda. We welcome Congress’s and the President’s support for the divestment and look forward to building a safer information space for all Americans.”
“It is highly encouraging that the U.S. seems to be moving toward a policy of ‘strategic clarity’ each day. We should not give the Beijing leadership any doubt that the U.S. is Taiwan’s first and foremost ally and that it will come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack and/or blockade,” Hsiao added. “It is time to relegate the Cold War relic that is ‘strategic ambiguity’ to the ash heap of history.”
References:
[1] AP News
[2] FAPA
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen Meets US Bipartisan Congressional Delegation
On April 24 in Taipei, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI), Secretary of the House Republican Conference. Also in the delegation were Representatives Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Mark Alford (R-MO), both of whom are members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus.
Tsai expressed gratitude for the passage of the 2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, which became public law in March 2024. Among other provisions, the Act calls for investment in the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, appropriates funds for the Taiwan Fellowship Program, and discourages the incorrect depiction of Taiwan and its territories on official maps.
“Faced with expanding authoritarianism, Taiwan and the US must work even closer to jointly contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” Tsai remarked. “Taiwan will continue to work with the US and other countries to strengthen the democratic alliance so that together we can create a more stable and prosperous world.”
Tsai also commended Congress’s passage of the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which has since been signed into law by President Biden as part of a broader foreign military aid package. U.S. assistance to Taiwan in the foreign military aid package is in line with the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances.
References:
[1] Taiwan Today
[2] Office of the President (Taiwan)
Other News
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Taiwan President-Elect Appoints New Heads of Security and Cross-Strait Affairs
Former UN Employee: China Bribes Officials to Block Funding for Taiwan’s Diplomatic Allies
