Air force soldiers load U.S. made Harpoon AGM-84 anti-ship missiles at a combat readiness mission during a press invited event at the airbase in Hualien, Taiwan, August 17, 2022. REUTERS/Ann Wang/
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration plans to send $500 million worth of weapons aid to Taiwan using the same emergency authority that has been used more than 35 times for Ukraine, a source familiar with the plan said on Friday.
As a part of the 2023 budget, Congress authorized up to $1 billion worth of weapons aid for Taiwan using Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), a type of authority that expedites security assistance and has helped to send arms to Ukraine.
This drawdown, which authorizes the president to transfer articles and services from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval during an emergency, would be the first from that $1 billion authorization.
China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military pressure on the island over the past three years. It has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
REUTERS
