China Responds as Biden Approves $567 Million in Arms for Taiwan

China has denounced U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to earmark over half a billion dollars in military equipment for Taiwan. "Let me be clear: Taiwan independence separatism is a dead end, and what the U.S. has done to assist the Taiwan independence attempt by arming Taiwan will only backfire," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during the ministry's regular press briefing Monday.

In a statement published on the White House website Sunday, Biden said he used his presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to authorize up to $567 million in defense items, services, and military training for the democratic island. This executive power allows the government to move equipment and services from U.S. stocks to another country to address urgent defense needs.

China claims Taiwan is its territory and maintains unification is inevitable, through force if necessary, though the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled there.

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