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TAIWAN NEWS
US won't sell new fighter jets to Taiwan: source
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Sept 16, 2011

The United States has decided not to sell Taiwan new F-16 fighter jets and will instead provide upgrades to its existing planes, a US congressional source said Friday.

The US State Department was to brief key lawmakers Friday on the decision, which was sure to anger China critics in the US Congress and upset Taiwan, but "no official announcement will be made for weeks," the official said.

"We are hearing from State that it will be an upgrade and no sale," the source, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

Taiwan applied in 2007 to buy 66 F-16 C/D fighters, which have better radars and more powerful weapon systems than the 146 F-16 A/Bs it currently has, in response to China's growing military muscle.

US magazine Defense News reported recently that Washington had told Taiwan it will not sell the jets, but both US and Taiwan officials have insisted no final decision has been made, amid strong Chinese resistance to the sales.

And the Washington Times reported Thursday that the upgrades would be part of a $4.2 billion arms package for Taiwan from US President Barack Obama's administration.

The White House in January 2010 had announced a $6.4 billion arms deal with Taiwan which included Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and equipment for Taiwan's existing F-16 fleet, but no submarines or new fighter jets.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Washington recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei but remains a leading arms supplier to the island.

In response to the reports, Republican Senator John Cornyn condemned the decision as "capitulation to Communist China" and "a sad day in American foreign policy" as well as "a slap in the face to a strong ally and long-time friend."

"This sale would have been a win-win, bolstering the national security of two democratic nations and supporting jobs for an American workforce that desperately needs them," he said in a statement.

In Taipei, Taiwan's defense ministry said that as far as it was aware Washington had yet to decide on the issue.

"We have not heard from the US that a decision on the F16 C/D has been made," said defense ministry spokesman David Lo.

"We are actively pursuing the request as we need to replace our ageing F5 jets to maintain our serial defense."

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Taiwan opposition denies shift in China policy
Taipei (AFP) Sept 18, 2011 - Taiwan's pro-independence main opposition party on Sunday rejected suggestions that it was poised to radically shift its long-standing policy on mainland China, four months before elections.

"I do not rule out any possibility... as long as Taiwan people support it," the presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party said when asked if unification with China was an option, according to a report.

The Taipei-based United Daily News said Tsai Ing-wen made the comments during a press conference in New York on Saturday.

"That report is an overstatement of Tsai's remarks," DPP spokesman Liang Wen-chieh said in a statement.

"What Tsai means, is that as Taiwan people are still divided over national identification, all people with different opinions should be respected. To the DPP, democracy has a value to be given top priority.

"But that by no means that unification is the party's option or thinking."

Tsai, who would become Taiwan's first female president if she wins the January election against incumbent Ma Ying-jeou, said last week during a speech at a think-tank in Washington that she would not whip up tensions with China if elected.

Beijing still sees the self-ruled island as part of its territory awaiting reunification -- by force if necessary -- even though China and Taiwan have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949.

Under the previous president Chen Shui-bian, of the DPP, ties with China were uneasy as the party pushed for formal independence for the island. The highly sensitive issue also frayed relations with the United States.

But Taipei-Beijing ties have improved markedly since Ma, of the China-friendly Kuomintang, came to power in 2008.





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TAIWAN NEWS
US lawmaker introduces bill urging Taiwan jet sale
Washington (AFP) Sept 14, 2011
US lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Wednesday introduced legislation that would reinforce Washington's ties with Taiwan, notably by supporting the sale of F-16 fighter jets to the island. The draft follows a bill put forward by two US senators earlier this week, which called on President Barack Obama to sell Taiwan no fewer than 66 of the advanced jets despite Beijing's fierce objections. ... read more


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