“Taiwan needs the next generation of F-16 fighters now in order to protect its skies,”
While the full story on taiwan today says "Several prominent members of the U.S. Congress urged the administration of President Barrack Obama June 16 to sell Taiwan F-16C/D fighters and other defensive weapon systems as soon as possible.
They made the remarks at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing entitled “Why Taiwan Matters?” It marked the House’s first hearing in seven years focusing on the U.S. relationship with Taiwan.
In her opening statement, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairman of the committee, said with mainland China deploying more than 1,600 missiles aimed at Taiwan across the strait, “Taiwan needs the means to defend itself from threats and intimidation.
“Taiwan needs the next generation of F-16 fighters now in order to protect its skies,” she added.
Ros-Lehtinen also announced that she would be introducing legislation soon to strengthen the Taiwan Relations Act.
Meanwhile, Rep. Howard L. Berman, ranking Democrat on the committee, said in his opening remarks that the TRA of 1979 “is the cornerstone of the relationship between our two nations” and “has been instrumental in maintaining peace and security across the Taiwan Strait and Asia.”
Berman pointed out that one of the United States’ main responsibilities in the relationship is to provide Taiwan with the military hardware it needs to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities. He therefore encouraged the Obama administration to cooperate closely with Congress on supplying the nation with necessary defensive weapons, including the F-16 aircraft.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Lisa Ann Murkowski wrote in a letter to Obama dated June 13 that she wished to add her name to a letter jointly signed by 45 senators in late May to the president urging him to sell Taiwan 66 F-16C/Ds.
In the letter, the senators stated that unless the U.S. administration sells Taiwan the advanced fighters, the military balance in the Taiwan Strait would continue to become unhinged, to the detriment of both U.S. and Taiwan security interests."
Next Generation Of F-16 Fighters Needed In Taiwan?
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