Taiwan aid bill sends ‘wrong signal’, says China on US’s $8 billion package to Island nation

As the bill providing some $8 billion in aid for the island was approved by the Senate in the US, China called on the US to “limit” support for Taiwan.

“We firmly oppose the inclusion of Taiwan-related content in the relevant bill of the US Congress,” Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, was quoted as saying by FT in Beijing. “It sends a wrong signal to the Taiwan separatist forces. We urge the US side to fulfill its commitment not to support Taiwan independence with concrete actions and stop arming Taiwan in any way.”

The remarks came shortly after the Senate approved a bill to increase US military assistance to Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel. China has been trying for long to annex the island, which it considers its territory.

More from World

This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal Zohran Mamdani says he would arrest Netanyahu if he is elected as NYC mayor, calls Israeli PM 'war criminal'

Taiwan has also been expanding its defense industry, building submarines and trainer jets. Next month it plans to commission its third and fourth domestically designed and built stealth corvettes to counter the Chinese navy as part of a strategy of asymmetrical warfare in which a smaller force counters its larger opponent by using cutting-edge or nonconventional tactics and weaponry.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said Sunday that about $1.9 billion is earmarked for replenishing its military equipment and training and another $2 billion will used for “foreign military financing” for countries in the region including Taiwan.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

A $8 billion defense package approved by the US House of Representatives over the weekend will “strengthen the deterrence against authoritarianism in the West Pacific ally chain,” Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te said Tuesday, in a reference to key rival China.

The package covers a wide range of parts and services to maintain and upgrade Taiwan’s military hardware. Taiwan has also signed billions in contracts with the US for the latest-generation F-16V fighter jets, M1 Abrams main battle tanks and the HIMARS rocket system, which the US has also supplied to Ukraine.