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US approves first arms to Taiwan under foreign aid program

The Biden administration approved $80 million in direct military aid to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing program, a first of its kind. This move is expected to raise tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.

The aid includes support for maritime awareness and is aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

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WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — President Joe Biden’s administration has for the first time approved direct US military aid to Taiwan under an assistance program aimed at foreign governments, officials said Wednesday, as worries grow over China.

The State Department informed Congress on Tuesday of the US$80 million package, which is small compared with recent sales to Taiwan but marks the first assistance to Taipei under the Foreign Military Financing program, which generally involves grants or loans to sovereign countries.

The move is sure to anger China. For five decades, the United States has officially recognized only Beijing although Congress, under the Taiwan Relations Act, requires the supply of weapons to the self-governing democracy for its defense.

Successive US administrations have done so through sales rather than direct aid to Taiwan, with formal statements speaking in the tone of business transactions with the island’s de-facto embassy in Washington.

The State Department insisted that the first-ever aid under the program did not imply any recognition of sovereignty of Taiwan.

“Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and our longstanding One China policy, which has not changed, the United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“The United States has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to regional and global security and prosperity.”

Taiwan’s defense ministry expressed gratitude. “The aid will help in regional peace and stability,” it said in a short statement.

The State Department did not formally announce the aid or give details, but a person familiar with the notice said the assistance would involve support to improve awareness at sea.

Growing tensions

The assistance needs approval from Congress, which is virtually certain as lawmakers from both parties widely support Taiwan.

Representative Mike McCaul, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and frequent critic of Biden’s foreign policy, praised the step.

“These weapons will not only help Taiwan and protect other democracies in the region, but also strengthen the US deterrence posture and ensure our national security from an increasingly aggressive CCP,” he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

China and the United States in recent months have resumed dialogue with hopes of bringing greater stability to the turbulent relationship between the world’s largest developed and developing nations.

But Taiwan remains a clear point of friction, with Chinese officials repeatedly issuing warnings and viewing the United States as bent on supporting formal independence by the island.

China has carried out major military exercises three times in little more than a year in response to Taiwanese leaders’ interactions with the United States, raising the prospect it is practicing moves for an invasion.

Senior US officials have said they believe Chinese President Xi Jinping is taking steps away from the status quo on Taiwan, although American analysts debate to what extent both China’s recent economic concerns and Russia’s struggles to subdue Ukraine will dissuade Beijing.

It is the second time in as many months that the Biden administration has broken new ground in supporting Taiwan.

In July, Biden approved US$345 million of military aid to Taiwan from leftover US stockpiles, taking a cue from one means of US support to Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion.

Israel is the top recipient of Foreign Military Financing, to the tune of more than US$3 billion a year.

— AFP

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International

UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopts resolution calling for Israel to end occupation of Palestinian territories

The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution urging Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories within a year. Backed by an ICJ advisory opinion, the resolution reflects broad international opposition to the occupation, though key nations like the US opposed it.

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11 hours ago

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19 September 2024

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has passed a resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories within a year, a decision that Palestine hailed as “historic.”

The nonbinding resolution, passed by a vote of 124-12 with 43 abstentions, demands Israel end its “unlawful presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months and pay reparations for damages incurred during the occupation.

The resolution also backed an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which had previously declared Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories to be unlawful.

The ICJ stressed that Israel, as an occupying power, is in violation of international humanitarian law due to its settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The UNGA vote occurred as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, where more than 41,250 Palestinians have been killed.

The ICJ had earlier issued rulings urging Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza and ensure adequate humanitarian aid reaches the population.

Among the 12 countries opposing the resolution were Israel, the United States, Czechia, Hungary, Argentina, and several Pacific island nations.

The US, which claims to support a two-state solution to the conflict, joined Israel in opposing the resolution.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the resolution, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to comply.

“The international consensus over this resolution renews the hopes of our Palestinian people…to achieve its aspirations of freedom and independence,” Abbas said, emphasizing the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

NGOs Urge UN Member States to Uphold ICJ Opinion and Halt Arms Sales to Israel

Additionally, over 30 NGOs, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, and War Child, urged UN Member States to adhere to the ICJ’s advisory opinion, which denounced Israel’s decades-long occupation.

The NGOs highlighted ongoing human rights abuses such as forced displacement, settler violence, and a discriminatory permit regime limiting Palestinians’ access to essential services.

These organizations also called for a halt to arms sales to Israel, which they argue have contributed to a humanitarian catastrophe.

Singapore and Malaysia Vote in Favour of UN Resolution

Ambassador Burhan Gafoor of Singapore expressed support for the UNGA resolution based on respect for international law and the International Court of Justice.

“Singapore has always attached the greatest importance to international law and the principles of the UN Charter. ”

“We voted in favour of this resolution after careful and thorough consideration due to our respect for the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations as well as for international law more broadly.”

However, he highlighted several reservations, including concerns over using the ICJ’s advisory jurisdiction to address political disputes and the resolution’s potential to harden positions between Israel and Palestine.

Gafoor emphasised that any solution to the conflict must come from direct negotiations between the two parties and expressed concern over the resolution’s overreaching measures that could hinder the peace process.

Malaysia welcomed the UN’s decision to implement the ICJ ruling, noting that the UN resolution underscores the collective responsibility and legal obligations of all States and international organisations to end Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and seek justice for the Palestinian people.

“Malaysia urges the international community to implement the Resolution in its entirety and without delay, for the Palestinians to exercise their right to self-determination, safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as pursue socioeconomic development.”

“The resolution affirms Malaysia’s position on this long-standing issue,” the statement read.

The ICJ’s July opinion found that Israel’s occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory violated fundamental principles of international law, asserting that no state should recognize or assist Israel’s continued presence in these territories.

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International

Explosive devices target Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing 20 and injuring over 450

Explosions targeting walkie-talkies killed 20 and injured over 450 in Lebanon. The attack, suspected to be carried out by Israel, escalates tensions with Hezbollah, raising international concerns of a potential war crime.

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11 hours ago

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19 September 2024

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A coordinated series of explosions targeting walkie-talkies in Lebanon killed at least 20 people and injured more than 450 on Wednesday, prompting international concerns that the attacks may constitute a war crime.

Thousands of booby-trapped communication devices exploded across Lebanese cities, particularly in Hezbollah strongholds, just one day after a similar attack involving pagers killed 12 and injured over 2,800.

Israel is widely suspected of being behind the strikes, escalating tensions with Hezbollah.

The explosions, described as “small in size” but widespread, mark a potential shift in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that controls parts of Lebanon.

International observers have condemned the attacks, with UN Secretary General António Guterres calling for restraint while noting that the scale and strategy of the operation suggest it could be a prelude to a broader Israeli military assault on Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that the decision to detonate the devices might have been driven by fears that Hezbollah was close to discovering Israeli efforts to sabotage its communications infrastructure.

Hezbollah confirmed that its walkie-talkies had been targeted in Wednesday’s explosions.

The attacks came shortly after a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US officials aimed at de-escalating the situation.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that the indiscriminate nature of the explosions violated international law, as the devices targeted may have been in civilian possession.

Human Rights Watch echoed the sentiment, highlighting that booby traps such as these, which explode without specific targeting, breach international humanitarian law.

While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised Israeli intelligence agencies for their “great achievements” during a visit to a northern air force base, while stressing that military resources were being diverted northward to confront Hezbollah.

Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to returning northern Israeli residents to their homes, further suggesting a potential escalation.

Lebanese officials, including Hezbollah, have blamed Israel for the attacks, vowing retaliation. The explosions occurred during a tense period in Lebanon, where ongoing violence threatens to spiral into a broader regional conflict.

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