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Biden orders 567 million dollars in military aid to Taiwan

Last year, the Defense Department assistance amounted to 345 million dollars

WASHINGTON, September 30. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden has ordered to allocate 567 million dollars for arms supplies and other military aid to Taiwan, according to his written statement released by the White House press service.

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America <...>, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority <...> to direct the drawdown of up to $567 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan," Biden said. Last year, the Defense Department assistance amounted to 345 million dollars.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, Taiwan has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists took power. Official Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established relations with China. While recognizing the one-China policy, Washington continues to maintain contacts with the Taipei government. The US is Taiwan's main arms supplier. The Chinese Foreign Ministry estimates that the total amount of US military supplies to the island has exceeded 70 billion dollars over the years.

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