The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden plans to send a request to Congress for the allocation of $1.1 billion. The funds are planned to be spent on the purchase of weapons for Taiwan.
Politico writes about this with reference to its own sources.
According to sources, the package should include about 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles. Also, $600 million will go to radar maintenance.
Congress is expected to approve the funds, but the process could be delayed due to the U.S. holiday season.
- On August 3, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan for an official one-day visit. She became the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. In protest, China imposed sanctions on Pelosi and began four days of military exercises surrounding Taiwan. After these exercises, he reported on the new ones and declared that they would be "regular" from now on. Taiwan said the latest drills were like a "rehearsal for taking over the island".
- On August 9, China reported on the continuation of military exercises around Taiwan, during which operations on "joint defense and joint blockade of the island" will be practiced. At the same time, the Taiwanese army began artillery exercises in preparation for the islandʼs defense against a possible Chinese attack.
- The day before, the Chinese government published the "White Book", which it issues every two years. It outlines the countryʼs defense strategy. In a separate bulletin entitled "Taiwan Question and Chinaʼs Unification in a New Era," the Chinese authorities promote the thesis of the inevitability of "complete reunification of the motherland." Beijing emphasizes that it is "ready to create a wide space for peaceful reunification", but does not rule out a forceful scenario of capturing the island, noting that "non-peaceful means will be used as a last resort in a situation where there is no choice."
- On August 11, Taiwanʼs Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it does not agree with the "one country, two systems" model proposed by China.
- On August 4, Japan protested to China that several missiles fired by its military during exercises near Taiwan fell near Japanese shores. Media reports that Japan is considering the possibility of deploying a thousand long-range cruise missiles to strengthen its potential to counter China.