The United States has announced a Taiwan weapons aid package worth up to $345 million, which is likely to provoke China. However, the Biden administration has chosen not to disclose the details of the arms included in the package. Congress has authorized up to $1 billion of Presidential Drawdown Authority weapons aid for Taiwan in the 2023 budget. This aid is intended to support Taiwan’s rejection of Chinese sovereignty claims. China has repeatedly demanded that the United States, Taiwan’s primary arms supplier, cease the sale of weapons to the island.

According to sources, the package was expected to include four unarmed MQ-9A reconnaissance drones. However, there is uncertainty regarding the inclusion of these drones, as officials are working on removing some advanced equipment that only the U.S. Air Force has access to. The formal announcement did not provide a list of the weapon systems being provided.

Taiwan’s defense ministry expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its unwavering security commitment. They stated that they will not comment on the package details due to the “tacit agreement” between the two sides. One of the issues that could complicate the inclusion of the drones is determining who will bear the cost of their alterations. It remains unclear whether the drones are still part of the package. Taiwan has previously agreed to purchase four MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, which are more advanced and made by General Atomics. These drones are scheduled for delivery in 2025.

China considers Taiwan its territory and has escalated military pressure on the island in recent years. It has not renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. However, Taiwan strongly rejects China’s sovereignty claims and asserts that only the Taiwanese people can determine their own future.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had previously indicated that the United States would provide significant additional security assistance to Taiwan through the Presidential Drawdown Authority. He made this statement during a Senate panel on May 16. Earlier this month, a top U.S. general emphasized the need to expedite the delivery of weapons to Taiwan in the coming years to enhance the island’s defense capabilities.

The Presidential Drawdown Authority has been used in emergency situations to expedite security assistance to Ukraine. It allows the president to transfer articles and services from U.S. stockpiles. However, the Taiwan PDA is a non-emergency authority that was approved by Congress last year.

The article was reported by Mike Stone and Idrees Ali, with additional reporting by Jasper Ward, Dan Whitcomb, and Yimou Lee. It was edited by Richard Chang and Muralikumar Anantharaman. The Thomson RushHourDaily Trust Principles are followed in the reporting.