The US State Department has thanked Congress for its bipartisan support of Taiwan. That’s after the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the Taiwan Policy Act on Wednesday.
The bill would authorize grants and loans of up to US$6.5 billion over five years for Taiwan to buy US weapons.
The State Department’s thanks on Thursday suggests the bill has the approval of the Biden administration after several more contentious provisions were watered down.
Senators changed the bill’s original proposal to designate Taiwan as a major non-NATO ally to make it non-binding.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price says the bill does not change the United States’ approach to Taiwan. He also said that Washington will continue to abide by its one China policy, which acknowledges China’s claim over Taiwan, but does not accept it.
China’s foreign ministry, however, warned on Thursday that if the bill were to pass into law, it would have serious consequences on US-China ties and stability in the Taiwan Strait.