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The US Capitol
PHOTO: ELIZABETH FRANTZ / REUTERS
Amid rising tensions with China, the US Senate has taken a first step to provide Taiwan with billions of dollars in direct US military aid for the first time.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would provide nearly $4.5 billion in military aid to Taiwan over four years.
The US has been selling arms and other armaments to Taiwan for decades.
The new bill, which still has to be passed by the Senate and House of Representatives and then put into effect by President Joe Biden, goes even further.
In addition to the first direct military aid, it also provides for sanctions against China in the event of violent action against Taiwan.
The White House expressed reluctance to the move on Wednesday.
"We will continue to communicate directly with Congress about this text," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.
However, she emphasized that Biden's government wants to "further deepen the partnership with Taiwan with strong diplomatic, economic and military support".
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Most recently, the visit to Taiwan by US top politician Nancy Pelosi at the beginning of August caused a massive increase in tensions between Washington and Beijing.
China held the largest military maneuvers in its history in the waters around Taiwan in response to Pelosi's visit.
After Pelosi's visit, other US delegations also visited Taiwan.
Since the split between China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has viewed the island as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland - if necessary using military force.
The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has raised fears that Beijing could use a similar approach in its dealings with Taiwan.
mfh/AFP