President Joe Biden on Sunday approved $567 million in defense aid to Taiwan, the White House said, the latest move by the United States to bolster the island’s military in the face of rising tensions with China.
The US is Taiwan’s main international backer and arms supplier even in the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
China has repeatedly demanded that Washington stop selling arms to Taipei, which it claims as its territory.
In a statement, the White House said Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority “to direct the withdrawal of up to $567 million in defense items and services from the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan.”
It gave no further details.
In April, Biden signed a hard-fought bill that provides billions of dollars in new U.S. aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, as well as for Israel and Taiwan.
Taipei has complained about delayed US arms deliveries, including for upgraded F-14 fighter jets.
China, which views democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military and political pressure over the past five years to assert its claims, which Taipei strongly rejects.