Joel Mathis
President Joe Biden is trying to strengthen Taiwan's defenses before he leaves the White House. The United States, said China's leaders (who consider now-independent Taiwan to be China's territory), is undermining "peace and stability" in East Asia as a result.
American leaders, Beijing said, are "playing with fire" with the latest round of military assistance to Taiwan, Politico said. The warning came after Biden authorized up to $571 million in defense-related "material and services" to the democratic island. (The Pentagon at the same time announced it had approved $295 million in military equipment sales.) China's foreign ministry said that Taiwan is a "red line that must not be crossed" by the U.S., Reuters said, and added that it would take "all necessary measures" to protect its claim.
"Beijing regularly protests announcements of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan," said The Wall Street Journal. Its latest pushback comes at a moment of transition, with Donald Trump about to take office. Trump's approach to the China-Taiwan tension "generally remains unclear." Trump has warned Taiwan — like NATO — that it should "significantly increase its military spending and not rely entirely on U.S. military support," said the Journal.
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