Two U.S. senators sponsor bill to sell F-16 C/D fighters to Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
2011/09/13 13:31:46
Washington, Sept. 12 (CNA) United States senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced legislation Monday that would require the Obama Administration to sell no fewer than 66 new F-16 C/D multirole fighter jets to Taiwan.
"The Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act of 2011 will help bring the United States into compliance with its legal obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide Taiwan with the military equipment it needs to maintain its self-defense capabilities," a statement from Cornyn's office read.
Unlike a resolution, the act will be legally binding once passed unless it is vetoed by the president.
The Barack Obama administration has yet to respond to the latest legislative gambit by the two senators on the jet fighter sale, nor is it clear how many senators and representatives will support the measure.
There has been bipartisan congressional support, however, for the sale of new F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan.
On May 26, a bipartisan letter signed by 45 senators called on President Obama to quickly notify Congress of the sale of 66 F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan, a message repeated in a letter sent by 181 House members across party lines on Aug. 1.
The bill's stated purpose is to provide Taiwan with critically needed aircraft "to strengthen its self-defense capability against the increasing military threat from China."
The U.S. government has said it would make a decision on the sale by Oct. 1.
"This sale is a win-win, in strengthening the national security of our friend Taiwan as well as our own, and supporting tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S.," Cornyn said in the statement.
"Saying no here would mean granting Communist China substantial sway over American foreign policy, putting us on a very slippery slope."
Menendez also focused on the security and jobs benefits of the sale.
"Providing the military resources Taiwan needs is in the vital security interest of Taiwan, the national security interest of the United States, and is compelled by the Taiwan Relations Act," Menendez said in the statement.
"Delaying the decision to sell F-16s to Taiwan could result in the closure of the F-16 production line, which would cost New Jersey 750 manufacturing jobs."
In justifying the legislation, the bill cited a report by the Perryman Group, a private economic research and analysis firm, in saying the sale "would generate some US$8.7 billion in output and more than 87,664 person-years of employment in the United States," including 23,407 direct jobs.
"Economic benefits would likely be realized in 44 states and the District of Columbia," the bill read.
Taiwan has repeatedly asked the U.S. to sell 66 F-16 C/Ds since 2006 to modernize its air force and maintain its self-defense capability, but the U.S. government reportedly favors simply upgrading Taiwan's existing F-16 A/Bs to avoid offending China. (By Jay Chen and Lilian Wu) Enditem/ls
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