US okays US$2.3bn bill for Taiwan military financingINSIGHTS: The approval showed supporting Taiwan was a bipartisan consensus and the funding for the Philippines highlights first island chain security concerns, experts saidStaff writer, with CNAThe US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to provide Taiwan with US$300 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF), and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees to bolster deterrence in the Taiwan Strait. The measures are part of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026, which the House approved by a 341-79 vote. Photo: EPA-EFEFMF, a US Department of State program, helps allies and partner countries acquire US military equipment, services and training through US-funded aid. “In the past month, the free people of Taiwan have endured cyberattacks and aggressive PLA [People’s Liberation Army] military exercises. Chen Shih-min (陳世民), an associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University, said that although Taiwan accounts for only part of the bill, members of the US Congress had to actively support the provisions to vote in favor.

Source: Taipei Times January 16, 2026 16:14 UTC