TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday (March 12) thanked the White House for making a standalone request for military assistance to Taiwan in next year's budget request for the first time in history.

In a press release, MOFA said that U.S. President Joe Biden’s 2025 Fiscal Year Budget Request released on Monday (March 11) included a historic standalone request of US$100 million (NT$3.14 billion) for Taiwan military assistance. If approved by Congress, this fund would be utilized through Foreign Military Financing channels to purchase weaponry.

Deputy Secretary of State for Management & Resources Richard Verma on Monday called the budget request "a historic investment in Taiwan’s military." He said this is the first time the White House has included a specific line item for Taiwan.

He added that the proposed allocation "reaffirms our commitment to security assistance for Taiwan and a free and open Indo-Pacific. I think it’s very clear. I think it stands on its own."

In addition, MOFA noted that the Biden administration last year used the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) to provide a weapons package worth US$500 million to Taiwan. The ministry expressed appreciation for the continued use of diverse policy tools and concrete actions by the U.S. administration, "which clearly convey a positive message of assisting Taiwan in strengthening its defense capabilities and safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Biden's emphasis on "standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" during his State of the Union Address on March 7, along with actions such as the continued normalization of arms sales to Taiwan, "highlights the great importance United States attaches to strengthening Taiwan's defense capabilities and maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region," MOFA said. 

The ministry concluded, "In addition to continuing to implement relevant defense reforms and strengthening defense capabilities, Taiwan will continue to work closely with like-minded partners like the United States to actively safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and in the region."