The Biden administration is preparing a $500 million weapons package for Taiwan, using a fast-track authority that it has relied on to speed arms to Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said.
The package will involve sending existing stockpiles of U.S. weapons or support equipment to Taiwan under what’s known as a Presidential Drawdown Authority, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. The equipment to be in the package wasn’t immediately known.
Using a drawdown will let the U.S. sidestep the often-lengthy process of contracting and producing weapons, which has resulted in what lawmakers say is a $19 billion backlog in armaments that have been approved but not yet delivered to Taiwan. It hasn’t been used to send weapons to the island’s government.