— CNN News: US approves first-ever military aid to Taiwan through program typically used for sovereign nations
— "The Biden administration has approved funding for the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically saved for sovereign nations, according to a notification sent to Congress on Tuesday.
The package – which is part of the State Department’s foreign military financing (FMF) program – totals $80 million and will be paid for by US taxpayers.
“FMF will be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the department wrote in its notification to Congress that was reviewed by CNN."
Link
_______________________________
— PRC State Media, Global Times on August 25, 2023 on Twitter/X:
— "The US’ arms sales to the island of Taiwan are malicious actions that interfere with China’s internal affairs, violating the one-China principle and the China-US Three Joint Communiques, threatening the safety of people in the island and cross-Straits stability.
China firmly opposes this latest sales and has lodged solemn representation to the US, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the National Defense Ministry, said."
Global Times (@globaltimesnews)
_______________________________
— PRC State Media, Global Times on August 31, 2023 on Twitter/X:
— "The US intends to keep creating the tension of the Taiwan question to provoke China rather than to ease the tension, analysts said on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer to the island of Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, which is normally used for sovereign states."
Link
Global Times (@globaltimesnews)
_______________________________
— Focus Taiwan: Unprovoked attack on Taiwan to trigger 'resolute reaction': U.S. lawmaker
— "U.S. Representative Robert Wittman said that "any hostile, unprovoked attack on Taiwan will result in a resolute reaction from the United States," during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office in Taipei Friday.
Wittman, a Republican who serves as vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told Tsai that the U.S. would do "everything possible" to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and it was committed to building up and projecting strength in the region.
"Strength is the best deterrence to anyone that may think there's an opportunity to act badly in this region," said Wittman, who arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night."
Link
_____________________________
— Focus Taiwan: Taiwan to receive 7 anti-tank mine-laying systems by end of 2023
— "Taiwan will receive seven of 14 anti-tank mine-laying systems that it had ordered from the United States by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
Based on details of the MND's 2024 annual budget proposal delivered to the Legislative Yuan on Thursday, the remaining seven systems will arrive in 2026.
The total budget for the M136 Volcano Vehicle-Launched Scatterable Mine System will be about NT$4.89 billion (US$153.53 million), which is to be allocated through 2029, according to the MND."
Link
_____________________________
— Al-Jazeera: Presidential hopeful Lai says Taiwan’s sovereignty is ‘a fact’
— "Taiwanese vice president and presidential hopeful William Lai Ching-te has underlined Taiwan’s status as a sovereign nation and said that the world knows that China is to blame for a recent rise in tensions.
At a press conference for foreign journalists on Friday, ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai said that the island has proven its status as a country through its democratic actions.
“Taiwan holds regular elections for our president, vice president, legislators, officials, mayors and local government leaders, and they serve the people, so I think this shows that it is a fact that Taiwan is a sovereign country,” Lai said. “This is a fact, this is the truth.”"
Link
— "The Biden administration has approved funding for the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically saved for sovereign nations, according to a notification sent to Congress on Tuesday.
The package – which is part of the State Department’s foreign military financing (FMF) program – totals $80 million and will be paid for by US taxpayers.
“FMF will be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the department wrote in its notification to Congress that was reviewed by CNN."
Link
_______________________________
— PRC State Media, Global Times on August 25, 2023 on Twitter/X:— "The US’ arms sales to the island of Taiwan are malicious actions that interfere with China’s internal affairs, violating the one-China principle and the China-US Three Joint Communiques, threatening the safety of people in the island and cross-Straits stability.
China firmly opposes this latest sales and has lodged solemn representation to the US, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the National Defense Ministry, said."
Global Times (@globaltimesnews)
_______________________________
— PRC State Media, Global Times on August 31, 2023 on Twitter/X:— "The US intends to keep creating the tension of the Taiwan question to provoke China rather than to ease the tension, analysts said on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer to the island of Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, which is normally used for sovereign states."
Link
Global Times (@globaltimesnews)
_______________________________
— Focus Taiwan: Unprovoked attack on Taiwan to trigger 'resolute reaction': U.S. lawmaker
— "U.S. Representative Robert Wittman said that "any hostile, unprovoked attack on Taiwan will result in a resolute reaction from the United States," during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office in Taipei Friday.
Wittman, a Republican who serves as vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told Tsai that the U.S. would do "everything possible" to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and it was committed to building up and projecting strength in the region.
"Strength is the best deterrence to anyone that may think there's an opportunity to act badly in this region," said Wittman, who arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night."
Link
_____________________________
— Focus Taiwan: Taiwan to receive 7 anti-tank mine-laying systems by end of 2023
— "Taiwan will receive seven of 14 anti-tank mine-laying systems that it had ordered from the United States by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
Based on details of the MND's 2024 annual budget proposal delivered to the Legislative Yuan on Thursday, the remaining seven systems will arrive in 2026.
The total budget for the M136 Volcano Vehicle-Launched Scatterable Mine System will be about NT$4.89 billion (US$153.53 million), which is to be allocated through 2029, according to the MND."
Link
_____________________________
— Al-Jazeera: Presidential hopeful Lai says Taiwan’s sovereignty is ‘a fact’
— "Taiwanese vice president and presidential hopeful William Lai Ching-te has underlined Taiwan’s status as a sovereign nation and said that the world knows that China is to blame for a recent rise in tensions.
At a press conference for foreign journalists on Friday, ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai said that the island has proven its status as a country through its democratic actions.
“Taiwan holds regular elections for our president, vice president, legislators, officials, mayors and local government leaders, and they serve the people, so I think this shows that it is a fact that Taiwan is a sovereign country,” Lai said. “This is a fact, this is the truth.”"
Link
