US announces $345 million military aid package for Taiwan

By NOMAAN MERCHANT, ELLEN KNICKMEYER, ZEKE MILLER and TARA COPP
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has announced a new $345 million military aid package for Taiwan. It’s the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China. Two U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that the package includes man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles. U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan, to help it become better defended against a potential attack by China. The authority to take weapons directly from U.S. stockpiles gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding to put new weapons on contract.