After months of delays, the US House of Representatives on Saturday and the US Senate on Tuesday finally approved a US$95 billion foreign aid package that includes funding for Taiwan. The bills were passed with bipartisan support, with House Speaker Mike Johnson saying that “we have to do the right thing. And history will judge us.”
The bills — containing US$60.8 billion for Kyiv, US$26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, and US$8 billion for Taiwan and Indo-Pacific allies of the US — was combined into a single piece of legislation, which US President Joe Biden said “comes at a moment of grave urgency.” He signed it into law immediately.
The supplemental defense funding had stalled in the Republican-led lower chamber for months due to objections to providing more funds to Ukraine from some far-right Republicans.
The legislative wrangling reflects a major political division in the US ahead of November’s presidential election, factors that are being closely observed by its allies and enemies to see whether the US would protect its traditional interests on the global stage or turn toward the “America first” isolationism of former US president Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner.
Despite the risk to his position as speaker, Johnson turned his back on his party’s populist faction and pushed the legislation through.
“I believe that [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping,
(習近平) and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil,” Johnson said.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul drew an analogy between the US’ posture toward Putin and Britain’s appeasement of Nazi Germany under then-British prime minister Neville Chamberlain and the stalwart resistance of his successor, Winston Churchill.
“As we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself this question: Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?” McCaul said.
Passing the Ukraine aid bill might not make Johnson another Churchill, but it definitely makes him a braver figure than many critics previously expected.
The Indo-Pacific security supplemental bill aiming to counter China and enhance Taiwan’s military defense capability passed in the House with a vote of 385-34, while the Ukraine bill passed by 311-112 and the Israel bill passed 366-58.
In Taiwan, there is also a longstanding debate over whether to confront or appease China’s authoritarianism, which has resulted in provocative interference, including military intrusions and cognitive warfare in the run-up to January’s presidential election.
Fortunately, Taiwanese chose a new president, William Lai (賴清德), who has vowed to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and sovereignty. Most Taiwanese oppose China’s ambition to take over Taiwan.
However, pro-China politicians, such as former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) and KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?), have or are going to visit China to echo Xi’s “greater China” dream and pursue commercial benefits.
To ensure peace and stability in the Strait, Taiwan should follow in the footsteps of Churchill and align with democratic allies against authoritarianism. This not only relies on boosting military defense capability, but also great determination and resilience.
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