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U.S. lawmaker renews calls for F-16C/D sale to Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2012/02/19 22:18:21

By Jay Chou and Deborah Kuo

Washington, Feb. 18 (CNA) Another U.S. congressman has urged Washington to sell F-16C/D jet fighters to Taiwan.

Representative Kenny Marchant (R-TX) noted recently in a statement that was included in the U.S. Congressional Record that the F-16 issue should not be delayed any longer.

Marchant further said the U.S. should not postpone the sale to Taiwan, otherwise the F-16 fighter production line will soon face being closed down.

Marchant added that he believes the best way to improve bilateral U.S.-Taiwan relations and help Texas' economy is by selling F-16C/D fighters to Taiwan.

Over the past two years, many other members of Congress have issued statements urging the U.S. administration to sell more advanced weaponry systems to Taiwan.

Among these lawmakers, his fellow representative from Texas, Joe Barton, proposed a bill in November 2009 urging the sale of U.S.-made F-16 fighters to Taiwan, Marchant said.

Mark Kao, president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), said plans for the F-16 sales were shelved last year, but Congress and the U.S. public must be reminded that there are no signs that the military imbalance between Taiwan and China has been redressed, despite warming cross-strait ties but, in fact, has tilted further toward China.

If realized, the F-16C/D jet fighter sale to Taiwan will not only help beef up the combative readiness of Taiwan's air force, it will also generate more jobs in the United States, he said. "It will be a win-win situation."