The U.S. resumes hundreds of millions in security aid to Taiwan, annoying China

A man stands in front of Taiwanese navy ships anchored at the harbor in Keelung, near Taipei in northern Taiwan, on Dec. 11, 2024. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. government has quietly unfrozen about $870 million in security assistance programs for Taiwan, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who were not authorized to speak publicly. It is a significant move amid dramatic cuts to foreign assistance by the Trump administration, reductions which have faced a flurry of legal challenges. On Wednesday evening, just hours before a midnight deadline, the Supreme Court’s chief justice paused a federal judge’s order to disperse some $2 billion in frozen foreign aid. Sponsor Message Goats and Soda The Trump administration kills nearly all USAID programs China criticized the resumed funding decision for violating its security interests in Taiwan, a democratic, self-governing island which China claims as its territory and has repeatedly threatened to invade if necessary. On Thursday, China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said, “We will come get you sooner or later,” in reference to Taiwan. A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, said earlier this week the U.S. funding decision “sends a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.” On Wednesday, China also kicked off live-fire military drills off the shores of Taiwan’s main island. Asia China repeatedly threatens to invade Taiwan. What would an invasion look like? China repeatedly threatens to invade Taiwan. What would an invasion look like? Listen · 3:42 3:42 Transcript Download