EYE ON STRAIT:
The US spending bill ‘doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,’ while also seeking to counter the influence of China
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By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter
US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a US$1.2 trillion spending package that includes US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan, as well as funding for Taipei-Washington cooperative projects.
The US Congress early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 to avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through September for a fiscal year that began six months ago.
Under the package, the Defense Appropriations Act would provide a US$27 billion increase from the previous fiscal year to fund “critical national defense efforts, including countering the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” according to a summary of the spending bill on the Web site of the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations.
The act “doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,” while “directing the [US] Secretary of Defense to prioritize the delivery of defense articles and services to Taiwan.”
The State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act in the package prioritizes funding for “national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and strengthening the defense needs of Taiwan,” including not less than US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan and US$400 million “for the Countering PRC Influence Fund,” it said.
The package also includes US$35,964,000 for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to carry out the Taiwan Relations Act, including the Taiwan Fellowship Program, which allows US officials to study and work in Taiwan for up to two years.
The act allocates US$4 million for the AIT to use for the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, launched by Taipei and Washington to utilize Taiwan’s expertise to address global issues.
The funds should be made available to reform the processes and procedures of “the application, consideration, and delivery of equipment and technical training under the foreign military sales program,” it says.
The US Secretary of State is required to submit a report on “the implementation and impact” of such reforms in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as an assessment of major defense equipment sought by key US allies and security partners in the region, including Taiwan.
The act also requires the US government to promote reforms at the WHO, including taking steps “to regain observer status for Taiwan.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed gratitude toward US lawmakers across party lines and the Biden administration for supporting Taiwan through concrete actions.
The bill also underlined the importance of security in the Taiwan Strait, aiming to enhance Taiwan-US security cooperation, enhance Taiwan’s overall defense resilience and expand the nation’s international space, it said.
Allocating a line item dedicated to foreign military financing for Taiwan “demonstrated the strong cross-party consensus, in the US executive and legislative branches, on strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and the stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
Taiwan would continue to promote defense reforms, bolster its self-defense capabilities and cooperate with the US to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity across the Strait and in the region, he said.
The spending bill did not include funding for a US$95 billion security assistance package for Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, which was already included in a different US Senate-passed version that the Republican-led US House of Representatives has ignored.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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