US House passes US$12bn aid for Taiwan militaryStaff writer, with CNA in WashingtonThe US House of Representatives on Thursday passed the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes up to US$12 billion in grants and loans to Taiwan to buy US weapons over the next five years. The bill passed the Democratic Party-controlled House on a 350 to 80 vote. The act would authorize up to US$2 billion in annual grants from next year to 2027, and an additional US$2 billion in loans for Taiwan to use to bolster its military capabilities with weapons from the US. The act also recommends that the US administration invite Taiwan to attend the US-organized Rim of the Pacific Exercise, a regional military drill, in 2024. The bill was proposed following China’s increased military actions in and near the Taiwan Strait in recent years, and amid growing concerns in Taipei and Washington that China’s military buildup has far exceeded that of Taiwan.
