Tracking Number: 241792
Title: President Bush and Defense Secretary Cheney both defended the Administration decision to sell 150 F-16 fighter aircraft to Taiwan, describing it as a solid proposal which will create jobs. WH Report. (920904)
Date: 19920904
Text:
WHITE HOUSE REPORT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
(Taiwan/F-16s) (290)
BUSH, CHENEY DEFEND F-16 SALE TO TAIWAN
President Bush defended his decision to sell 150 F-16A/B aircraft to Taiwan September 4, describing it as a solid proposal which will create jobs.
The president said selling the sophisticated General Dynamics jets to Taiwan is "the right thing to do." He insisted that he is handling the "overall relationship" involving the U.S., Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC) "very well."
In announcing the sale September 3, Bush said it would "help maintain peace and stability" in the Asian Pacific region.
The president told reporters in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the next day that he has not reversed an earlier position on the Taiwanese sale because he "never took a position on that before."
Defense Secretary Cheney also defended the aircraft sale in his September 4 remarks to the Economic Club of Indianapolis, noting that the sale had been under consideration "for a long time."
Cheney pointed to the historic relationship between the United States and Taiwan and noted that the Taiwanese need to replace their aging F-104 and F-5 jets.
Recalling that the PRC recently purchased advanced 24 SU-27 aircraft from Russia, Cheney said Taiwan is "a good cash customer" and the Taiwanese may as well spend their financial resources to acquire the military capability that they need in the United States.
While the aircraft sale will not cost the United States anything, the secretary explained, it keeps the American F-16 production lines open. The sale will help keep the American defense industrial base going, Cheney said, and aid aircraft parts suppliers which might otherwise suffer as the U.S. defense budget shrinks.
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File Identification: 09/04/92, POL502; 09/04/92, AEF512; 09/04/92, EPF505; 09/04/92, EUR502; 09/04/92, LDP521; 09/04/92, NEA503
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Keywords: BUSH, GEORGE/Foreign Relations: East Asia & Pacific; CHENEY, RICHARD B/Policy; TAIWAN-US RELATIONS/Policy; TAIWAN/Defense & Military; SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS; ARMS TRANSFERS/Policy; MILITARY AIRCRAFT; MILITARY TECHNOLOGY;
CHINA-
Thematic Codes: 1EA; 1DE
Target Areas: AF; AR; EA; EU; NE
PDQ Text Link: 241792
USIA Notes: *92090402.POL
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